NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s first legal recreational marijuana store opened Thursday, paving the way for what could be one of the most lucrative cannabis markets in the country.
The opening of the business, run by the Housing Works charity, sets the stage for what are expected to be several similar openings over the next few months in New York. The state legalized the recreational use of marijuana in March 2021.
A line of hundreds of people, many of them excited, wrapped around the block amid the strong smell of marijuana.
Among those present was Lino Pastrana, who was waiting for the shop to open at 4.20pm on Thursday.
“This is historic. It’s something that’s really important for those of us who buy and smoke weed because we can buy the quality product, instead of buying it from strangers without knowing what’s in it,” Pastrana said.
He added that he used to take the risk but will now only buy from legal dispensaries.
That’s the hope of drug regulators in New York, who say a controlled industry will help ensure addicts buy safe products.
That’s also the hope of Housing Works officials, who are confident the marijuana business will help fund their charitable programs.
“We are delighted to be the first and hope we can set an example for others to follow,” said Charles King, chief executive officer of Housing Works, a minority-run social services agency that helps people living with AIDS and HIV. and to those who have been imprisoned.
The cookware store in Lower Manhattan is the first of about 36 to open that recently obtained the licenses. The Cannabis Regulation Agency still has 139 licenses to deliver and there are 900 applicants that have not received a response. Among the first to receive the licenses were eight charities, including Housing Works.
The shop is close to New York University, whose students could be part of the future clientele.
“It’s a perfect location, right between the West Village and the East Village,” King said at a news conference Thursday morning. “Tourists can get there easily. So, I think we will sell a lot here.”
