BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — 7 News spoke to legal cannabis retailers on Wednesday to get their reaction to Governor Kathy Hochul’s actions to shut down the illegal cannabis market.
The governor's office said Hochul's executive budget includes a plan to give more authority to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and local government agencies to padlock stores selling cannabis without a license.
The plan includes:
- Expands the powers of OCM to streamline padlocking of illicit shops.
- Authorizes local government to execute OCM padlock orders to ensure swift action to close unlicensed dispensaries.
- Establishes local registries of licensed cannabis businesses to assist and empower local governments, including New York City, to padlock unlicensed businesses through their own laws and resources.
Sheldon Anderson, co-owner of the Public Flower, says he’s on board with Hochul's actions.
“In New York City, that’s where I grew up, originally you have storefronts next to school, churches, etc.,” he expresses. “Then you have parents complaining because they’re going into kid's bookbags and they see Skittles marijuana candy.”
And it’s a mystery where the products are coming from.
“These illicit shop's products come from different states and are not tested,” Anderson says. “It’s sprayed with pesticides. Here everything is licensed and tested.”
Anderson says the efforts by Hochul will better the tax base in New York State.
We recently saw this crackdown on the illegal cannabis market right here in Western New York.
On Wednesday, the Erie County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 23-year-old Thomas Muscoreil following an investigation into illegal marijuana sales out of two businesses in Grand Island. Search warrants were executed at the Island Smoke Shop, located at 2423 Grand Island Blvd, and Island Smoke Shop 2, located at 1734 Grand Island Blvd and a large amount of cannabis concentrate, cannabis edibles and cannabis flower were recovered at both locations. Muscoreil was charged with second-degree criminal possession of cannabis and processed and released on a desk appearance ticket.
The all-women owners of Puffalo Dreams also says that they're on board with Hochul's actions.
“I’m excited and also I feel like the bad product that’s on the streets will be gone and now everything will be regulated and tested,” Queen Hammonds, manager of Puffalo Dreams.
Both dispensaries tell me they ID every customer that comes through their doors.
“Our products come from farmers and processors and they go through rigorous testing,” says Owner of Puffalo Dreams Bee Duangtavilay. “They have to carry COA’s and get lab tested and then they get to be put on our shelves.”
Puffalo Dreams and Public Flower see a thriving future for legal dispensaries and customers.
“We wanted to be able to cater to different price ranges,” says Duangtavilay. “People who don’t want to spend as much money and people who want high quality as well.”
The all-women Puffalo Dreams dispensary is having a grand opening on Friday, March 1, kicking off Women’s History Month. The grand opening will take place at 900 Niagara Falls Blvd from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
