July Newsletter – Hot News & Czechoslovakia
July Heat. No Sweat.
CMB Glows with Hot News.
Cannabis Now, 2025 CMB Recap
“The carefully curated event combined high-level education with powerful networking and immersive brand activations for an impactful two days. Exhibiting brands reported exciting product launches and a genuine interest among attendees, leading to meaningful connections all the way around…
“Held in New York every single year, the exposition reflects ‘the vibrancy and complexity of New York City — a global hub for business, innovation and cannabis.’ “
July has turned out to be a very hot month. We celebrated and saluted our country’s independence and freedom while tolerating sweltering high temperatures, as many of us planned and took much needed vacations. As we leave July, we highlight some of the important industry news items. Keep reading and do check out our social media platforms and our website for more exciting information, and save the dates for our June 2026 CMB event at the Javits.
New York Cannabis News
OCM Appoints New Chief Medical Officer, Dr. June Chin
Last month the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) welcomed Jessica Garcia, the newly named Cannabis Control Board (CCB) Chair, and L. Simone Washington, the new Social Equity Officer. Then, on July 7, the OCM announced the appointment of Dr. June Chin as their Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
On Tuesday July 29, 2025, Dr. Chin presented a #NYCannabis Grand Rounds session titled, “Cannabis in the Care of Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA): What Clinicians Need to Know.” The session was moderated by Sang Choi, Research Scientist at the OCM.
OCM Launches Map to Buy Legal
In case you missed it, the OCM launched the “Buy Legal Map” and is urging cannabis customers to buy cannabis from only legal dispensaries and is also providing a useful resource to do so with the “Buy Legal Map” showing where the legal dispensaries are. The resource allows for filtering your searches by dispensary type, retail activity, and social and economic equity.
CCB Meeting July 25, 2025
Friday July 25 the CCB held a meeting. The agenda was full of issues to discuss, and the meeting yielded the following including the latest on dispensary openings, licensees, and product recalls. Highlights from the meeting were:
- Recognition and thanks was given to former Chair Tremaine Wright, the first Chair of the OCM CCB
- Approval of 53 additional CAURD licenses while over 7,000 applications were received after opening the most recent application window 11/17/24 to 12/18/24.
- Licensee data was presented submissions, approvals, and pending approvals
- Market data for dispensaries was presented
- Staten Island and Long Island lead dispensary sales across NYS
- NYS year-to-date retail sales are over $650M, with total retail sales since 2023 reaching $1.7B
For all of the data and meeting details click here to download the full deck.
Proximity Rule Error May Cause Some NY Dispensaries to Close or Relocate
When the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) went into effect in 2021, a proximity rule legislated that dispensaries must be at least 500 feet away from schools and houses of worship. What exactly is supposed to be measured in distance from a dispensary? It should be 500 feet from the property line of a school and/or religious entity. This is different than what was measured for over 152 dispensaries that are either already opened for business, or that are pending to open. The measurement was incorrectly done from entrance to entrance, not to the property lines, and is now causing the possibility that those dispensaries will have to relocate or close.
Learn more about Albany’s response and what solutions may be on the table including grandfathering in those dispensaries so that they could stay open.
Recent New York Adult-Use Dispensary Openings
Noteworthy is that 436 legal Adult-Use dispensaries were operational by July 25, 2025. Congratulations to these newly opened dispensaries across NYS:
The Joint
BUFFALO | 904 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo 14222
Website: thejointcannabisdispensary.com
FlynnStoned Binghamton
BINGHAMTON | 21143 Upper Front Street, Binghamton 13905
Website: flynnstoned.com
Toke Lane
BUFFALO | 1727 Genesee Street, Buffalo 14211
Website: tokelane.com
Knotweed Farm
HANCOCK | 87 East Front Street, Hancock 13783
Website: knotweedfarm.com
Township Valley Farm
ONEONTA | 393 Main Street, Unit #101, Oneonta 13820
Quality High Farm & Dispensary
SLEEPY HOLLOW | 25 Beekman Avenue, Sleepy Hollow 10591
Website: qualityhigh.com
The Greenhouse Cannabis
TROY | 514 Congress Street, Troy 12180
Website: thegreenhouseny.com
CannaFamily Dispensary
HOWARD BEACH | 102-15 159 Road, Howard Beach 11414
Buffalo Kind
EAST AURORA | 640 Main Street, East Aurora 14052
Website: buffalokind.com
Bloom Brothers
MENANDS | 442 Broadway, Menands 12204
Website: bloombrothers.com
Wicked Reserve Dispensary
ROCHESTER | 1150 University Avenue, Bldg 5, Set 7, Rochester 14607
Website: wickedreservedispensary.com
NSH LLC
BROOKLYN | 2280 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn 11234
The Flowery East Village
MANHATTAN | 101 E 10th Street, New York 10003
Website: thefloweryny.com
Kaya Bliss Brooklyn Heights
BROOKYLN | 64 Henry Street, Brooklyn 11201
Website: kayablissnyc.com
New Jersey Cannabis News
The First Four Consumption Lounges Have Been Approved
Big news in New Jersey this July. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved and announced at their July 15th public meeting the first four consumption lounges. All of the new lounges are minority-owned, or woman-owned, or disabled-veteran-owned. Below are the four approved consumption lounges and their locations:
1. High Rollers Dispensary (Atlantic City)
2. SunnyTien Dispensary (Atlantic City)
3. Gynsyng (Merchantville)
4. URB’N Dispensary (Newark)
Also at the July 15th meeting, the board gave approval of several types of applications and license renewals.
Delaware Cannabis News
Adult-Use Sales to Begin August 1
Congratulations and good luck to Delaware. After recreational sales were enacted in 2023, this August 1 will be the big day that Delaware recreational sales will finally begin. The Office of Marijuana Commission is allowing medical dispensaries to sell for recreational use to 21 or older adults. When Delaware went legal, counties were given the option to allow, restrict or ban recreational sales. The expense for medical dispensaries to also accommodate recreational sales comes at a cost for those businesses via expensive required conversion licenses.
Texas Cannabis News
Hemp Drama Continues in Special Session
In our June Newsletter we highlighted that the very contentious hemp bill to ban THC entirely in hemp products was vetoed by Governor Greg Abbott and he called for a special session to regulate hemp rather ban it. What has developed out of this special session is a messy drama that actually seems to ban rather than regulate. Has Governor Abbott changed his original vetoed position and directive for the special session?
Oklahoma Cannabis News
Ballot Measure Signatures Being Gathered
Petitioners are working hard in Oklahoma to get signatures to secure a ballot measure for legalizing Recreational Marijuana. State Question 837 would make a constitutional amendment for such. In the past, an attempt with State Question 820 in 2023, failure prevailed in a special election with 60% against such a measure. Now there may be some hope to get the ballot measure approved and appear on a ballot in 2026.
Florida Cannabis News
New Law Puts Access to Medical Marijuana at Risk for Patients
A new law put forth by Governor Ron DeSantis targets medical marijuana patients who violate the state’s Drug Abuse Prevention and Control laws. If they violate them, they could lose their cards either permanently or temporarily.
National Cannabis News
Real Estate Values Seem to Be Increasing in Adult-Use Areas
Whoever would have thought that owning a home in a legal adult-use state would yield significant growth in the home’s value? A recent study shows that homes in jurisdictions in states that have adult-use cannabis legalization, actually experience higher value growth over time as compared to homes in non-legalized adult-use jurisdictions. A study by Clever Offers cited as much as $60K in higher value when doing the comparison.
This article from The Zebra looks at cannabis legalization and home values across the USA and the impact on local real estate.
New Poll Shows Almost 90% Support Among Americans for Legalization
It seems that no matter how much the industry continues to wait for something to happen regarding full cannabis legalization in the USA, support among Americans keeps growing and is approaching 90%. A recent nationwide poll conducted by the Pew Research Center resulted in 87% of Americans wanting cannabis legalization.
Voter-Approved Legalization Measures Under Threat
Many ballot measures that have been voter-approved in recent elections continue to be threatened for enactment. Stay informed and up to date with what is happening in this regard. NORML’s Paul Armentano’s Op Ed written in April 2025 is not to be overlooked.
National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) Founding Leadership Changes
Aaron Smith has announced his next phase of leadership and is departing as the Founding CEO of the NCIA. He will remain a board member. His departure and new role were released by the NCIA July 23. He will be the Political Director of Unite America.
The team at CMB appreciates the NCIA and the leadership that Aaron provided for 15 years. CMB wishes Aaron all the best and congratulations in his new role.
Federal News
Passage of SAFER Banking Act Urged by 32 State Attorneys General
As the industry awaits the results of any activity regarding rescheduling of cannabis by the DEA, a truly reformative action for banking regardless of what happens with rescheduling, would be the passage of a federally approved banking bill for cannabis businesses. In a letter dated July 24, 2025, a bipartisan appeal from 32 Attorneys General was sent to congressional leaders in the Senate and the House to pass the Secure And Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act.
New Drug Enforcement Administration Head (DEA) Confirmed
Terence Cole has been confirmed as the new DEA head. He has asserted that one of his priorities is to take up the Rescheduling of cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III drug. The issue has essentially been in pause mode since the last presidential admin initiated the possibility. What Cole has in mind is yet to be determined as a path forward one way or the other. Time will tell.
DEA Chief Administrator Law Judge Retiring
In a development in the Rescheduling process and oversight, Judge John J. Mulrooney, who was appointed by the DEA as the Chief Administrator Law judge to oversee the participants and testimonies, is retiring.
Kentucky Governor Urging Presidential Rescheduling Support
Governor Beshear of Kentucky has formally sent President Trump a letter asking him to oppose and veto attempts to block Rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. His letter specifically addresses the bill that has congressional language that blocks the DEA from rescheduling it. Beshear cites the research and the benefits for medical cannabis in his letter to Trump.
Czechoslovakia Cannabis News
Cannabis Decriminalization Takes Effect In Czechoslovakia
Turkey Cannabis News
Turkey Enacts Law to Allow Pharmacies to Sell Medical Cannabis
A legislative bill was passed in Turkey that allows the sale of medical cannabis and products from a pharmacy, with a prescription.
Be in the Right Room
We look forward to seeing you at our Cannabis Means Business 2026 events.
