BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Cannabis Control Board approved a measure giving a law Governor Kathy Hochul signed earlier this month, extra strength, Tuesday.
The law increases civil and tax penalties for unlicensed and illegal sales of cannabis in the state.
Businesses caught illegally selling cannabis by giving a “gift” with the purchase of a different product could face fines of up to $20,000 per day.
7 News’ Pheben Kassahun spoke with folks in the Queen City about the topic.
Across various parts of the Queen City, you will find sticker shops that are either thriving or recently closed until further notice.
Locations like these are something the state is working to crack down on because “sticker shops” are unlicensed shops selling cannabis.
Cory Muscato said, “If they want to take care of themselves and their future opportunities to participate in the adult-use cannabis space, to realize that the regulated market is the way forward and it's the long-term success verses the short-term opportunity.”
Cory Muscato is the regulatory liaison for Bison Botanics CBD Product in Kenmore.
Muscato said, “Present-day Bison Botanics is one of the first adult-use processors. It means we take THC, we take the plant, we extract it. We turn it into other forms of products, gummies, tinctures, savs, balms, topicals, pre-rolls.”
He said it is important for New York State to move forward with this regulated market because it would produce a much better market and much better consumer market.
Muscato said, "While we want to respect the legacy market and the culture and communities that have long since participated in it, we also want to follow in it and make the lot for ourselves. The regulated market also offers a more consumer-conscience and regulatory environment so that there is quality standards so that there's ensuring that there's no molds or metals in the product. The dosage is correct.”
Buffalo resident and business owner, Aaron Bassett agrees.
"It may be warranted because this is something that people are actually putting in their body. They're using it for recreational use or medicinal use. The state wants to make sure that people are selling the right stuff and nobody is being harmed,” Aaron Basset told Pheben Kassahun.
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