BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It is a new day for cannabis growers around New York State.
The state's Office of Cannabis Management is now allowing growers to showcase and sell cannabis products.
"What the grower showcase actually does is it attaches this retail opportunity from the brick and mortar locations. Our licensed and operational delivery-only caurd licensees, our retail licensees, they can now partner with up to 3 farmers and a processor to do pop-up or retail sales at locations approved and vetted by the office. Locations that are exclusive to adults," Office of Cannabis Management chief equity officer, Damian Fagon said.
The hope is that the move will provide a lot of opportunity for entrepreneurship and innovation ensuring these products can actually reach the consumers across the state.
BREAKING: #NYCCB approved the Cannabis Growers Showcase allowing licensees to partner on events to showcase & sell AU #NYcannabis products.
— NYS Office of Cannabis Management (@nys_cannabis) July 19, 2023
The CGS will:
✅ Expand access to safer products
🫱🏽🫲🏿 Enable consumers to connect w. licensees
⚙️ Protect the two-tier market
Wednesday the OCM also announced another round of 212 caurd licenses have been awarded to dispensaries across the state.
Nine of those licenses went to Western New York.
"This was the bulk of the eligible applicants in the caurd program. We are up to 463 retail licenses that are out there with only 20 stores open, that is 443 folks who are in the process of opening their store, looking for locations," Fagon said.
Office of Cannabis Management chief equity officer Damian Fagon encourages consumers in Buffalo to get in contact with the licensees to help them find compliant real estate because he anticipates a significant demand in Western New York.
"I would encourage everyone in the Buffalo area - if you could get into contact with these licensees these newly licensed Western New York entrepreneurs, help them find some compliant real estate. We know that there is going to be significant demand in Buffalo for legal cannabis products that's tested, that is safe, that is grown by local farmers. We have seen the lines around our first dispensary, Dank 716," Fagon said.
He did add that there is a price to pay for those who continue to operate cannabis shops illegally.
"We simply can't have a situation where those folks in the caurd program and future retail licensees are operating in the same communities where someone is not paying taxes, not contributing to their community and selling untested, unsafe product from God knows where. Mostly California but we're seeing stuff coming in from Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon and Maine," Fagon said.
