The First Official Recreational Cannabis Dispensary in Westchester NY Opens

After court injunctions halted the opening of recreational dispensaries in New York State, the first recreational dispensaries in Westchester NY officially opened for business Tuesday. John Ruggerio, found of Elevate Cannabis Dispensary at 127 S. Terrace Ave. in Mount Vernon, says he was relieved to finally be open for business.

“We are delighted to finally open our doors to the community,” Ruggiero said via a press release. “Elevate is committed to providing safe, first-class cannabis products and rapid delivery services for our customers.”

In addition to Elevate’s current operating hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Ruggerio plans to extend hours until 2 a.m. for certain tourist-based occasions and special events.

The Westchester County marijuana dispensary owner told lohud that he looks forward to launching additional locations and contributing to causes that combat cancer, fight substance abuse, and raise funds for new local affordable housing.

Elevate was among a dozen new recreational dispensaries in New York to open this week following legal disputes that halted their opening for several months. The lawsuits challenged the state’s social equity licensing program that prioritizes retail licenses for those who were convicted on marijuana-related charges. The program also gives precedence to those directly impacted by efforts to outlaw marijuana and punish its users or proprietors, such as relatives of convicts.

The settlement paves the way for an estimated 436 license holders to continue with their plans to open their businesses, according to The New York Times. New York State Office of Cannabis Management estimates that 12 Black-owned and five Hispanic-owned dispensaries will be in operation before the end of the year.

“Considering the national landscape, where Black and brown ownership of cannabis is exceedingly rare, I am incredibly proud of this result. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s a clear indication of our dedication to creating a more equitable and inclusive cannabis industry,” Chris Alexander, the office’s executive director, said in a press release.

About 20 percent of recreational cannabis dispensaries in New York are majority Black-owned while that number goes down to less than 0.2 percent when calculating all U.S. dispensaries.

While the lawsuits were in progress, the State created a new licensing period where 1,000 additional licenses would be open to applicants who didn’t qualify for the initial round of licensing. It’s expected that at least 40 recreational marijuana dispensaries in New York will be open for business by the end of 2023.

So, you’ll likely see more popping up soon as the following cities have voted to allow the sale of cannabis, according to the Yonkers Times as of April 1, 2023:

• Mount Vernon
• New Rochelle
• Pound Ridge
• Sleepy Hollow
• White Plains

Check back here to see a list of open recreational dispensaries in Westchester NY.

The following Westchester County has passed laws preventing the sale of cannabis as of April 1, 2023: