BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Thursday, many celebrated cannabis on what has become a holiday known as 4/20, but when you're in Western New York just a few miles can separate restrictions on cannabis.
Just east of Lewiston is Tuscarora Nation, where Keith Printup owns The Shack.
"We are people of the hemp," explained Printup. "Difference in cannabis from ours to the outside is it follows treaties that were agreed upon by the U.S.. government and our people from way back when."
Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants, but marijuana plants have more THC. The Shack sells cannabis in flower form to smoke, cannabis concentrate, edibles and more. There is no limit on how much a customer can buy.
"We are our own entity," said Printup. "We are our own people, we’re not a U.S. citizen we're permanent residents."
However, just nine miles away on Seneca Nation, Nativa Cannabis, which celebrated its grand opening on 4/20, has restrictions.
"It closely mirrors regulations that you see in any state," said Nick Deslauriers.
At Nativa, customers are allowed to buy up to three ounces of flower per day, which is the same in New York State, along with 15 grams of cannabis concentrate, and 1500 milligrams of edibles.
At both The Shack and Nativa, staff suggest the strains customers should buy based on how the customer wants to feel.
"To us it's medicine, it's not a drug," explained Printup. "We do our best to educate them about different strains, the Indicas, the Sativas, the hybrids."
"The tribes are beyond the jurisdiction of cannabis management," explained Chris Alexander, Executive Director of New York State's Office of Cannabis Management.
Currently, New York State has eight legal dispensaries open, none in Western New York.
"We’ve got to move faster and got to open up more dispensaries, that's the big push right now," said Alexander.
Alexander said he looks at the state's dispensaries as an example of how future shops in New York State should be run. He said the ninth dispensary won't be in Western New York, but one will be here soon.
