Long Island’s first legal recreational cannabis business cut its ribbon and opened its doors last week, marking another milestone in New York’s ever-expanding adult-use marijuana market. 

The dispensary, called Strain Stars, opened on Saturday in Farmingdale, New York. 

“It was a long way,” Kamaldeep Singh, an owner of the store, told local news station FOX5 New York. “And I’m happy we made it.”

According to the station, “hundreds” of customers lined up amid hot weather for the store’s grand opening. 

News 12 Long Island reported that the grand opening “featured a DJ, food trucks and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.”

New York legalized recreational pot for adults aged 21 and older in the spring of 2021, when then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation into law. 

Parts of the measure took effect immediately––most notably, adults were permitted to smoke weed––but the state-regulated market has been slower to take shape. 

After Cuomo resigned in August of 2021, Kathy Hochul became the state’s first female governor––and immediately made it a priority to get the adult-use cannabis program up and running. 

The first legal adult-use dispensary opened late last year in Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood, and other retailers have since opened in Manhattan.

But other New York City boroughs, along with certain areas in upstate New York, have had to wait longer for their own legal weed businesses. 

That was partly due to an injunction issued by a federal judge that precluded the state from issuing licenses to Brooklyn and western New York, among various areas.

But that injunction was partially lifted in March, clearing the way for the state to issue licenses in Brooklyn and elsewhere.

The first legal cannabis dispensary in the New York City borough of Queens opened that same month. And in addition to the opening of the business on Long Island, the Bronx, another NYC borough, opened its doors last week, too. 

“New York is leading the nation in building a new cannabis industry that advances social justice and provides economic opportunity for those who have been harmed by the inequitable enforcement of cannabis laws,” Hochul said last week in a statement on the opening of the two stores. “With these new dispensaries opening in New York, we are providing safer product to New Yorkers, while furthering our ambitious goals for equity in New York’s cannabis laws.”

According to Hochul’s office, the opening of the retailers in the Bronx and on Long Island brought “the total of legal and licensed dispensaries in the State to 19.”

“As we witness the historic openings of The Bronx and Long Island’s first legal dispensaries, we celebrate a significant step towards equitable access to safer cannabis. This momentous occasion not only brings economic opportunities to these communities but also represents our commitment to fostering a responsible and inclusive cannabis industry. We look forward to the positive impact these dispensaries will have on Bronx and Long Island residents, as we continue to prioritize social equity, public health, and safety while expanding the cannabis market throughout New York State,” said Chris Alexander, Executive Director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.

Tremaine Wright, the chairwoman of the New York State Cannabis Control Board, said the openings were a credit to “the leadership of Governor Hochul.”

“These groundbreaking establishments not only provide safe and regulated environments for cannabis access but also serve as a testament to our commitment to fostering inclusive business opportunities. By supporting diverse entrepreneurs and ensuring equitable participation, we are paving the way for a vibrant and representative industry,” Wright said.

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A New York lawmaker has proposed legislation that would extend the benefits of the state’s cannabis social equity program to members of the transgender and nonbinary communities. 

The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) passed by New York lawmakers in March includes social and economic equity provisions designed to give licensing priority for the state’s upcoming adult-use cannabis market to members of communities disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses and other marginalized and under-represented groups. 

The legislation does not specifically mention transgender or nonbinary individuals, guidelines that unintentionally force such individuals to choose “between their gender identity and receiving priority for a license,” according to a bill introduced recently by Democratic New York state Senator Jeremy Cooney. For example, a nonbinary or transgender person assigned the female sex at birth would have to misgender themselves to qualify for social and economic equity benefits.

“The MRTA was crafted with a focus on equity at all stages of implementation in the new recreational adult-use cannabis market. I am proud to sponsor legislation that will build upon that foundation to include members of the transgender and nonbinary communities,” Cooney said in a press release. “No New Yorker should have to choose between their identity and economic opportunity. I look forward to creating a more inclusive new cannabis market for members of the LGTBQ+ community.”

Under Cooney’s proposal, Senate Bill 7157, the MRTA would be amended to explicitly include transgender and nonbinary persons in the provisions extending licensing priority. The legislation defines a transgender or binary person as “any person who has a gender identity or expression different from the sex assigned to that individual at birth.”

“This legislation would help to prevent New Yorkers who are transgender or nonbinary from being denied this economic opportunity because they live as their authentic selves. In addition, it recognizes that these New Yorkers suffer financially due to social and systemic bias, and that steps must be taken to mitigate that harm,” Kevin Barry, president of the Greater Rochester LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, said of Cooney’s bill. “While there is a long way to go, this bill is a well thought step toward equity for persons who are transgender or nonbinary. It is critical that lawmakers consider this part of their constituency whenever they create or vote on legislation.”

Advocates Support Proposal

Rachel Leavy, the owner of Infused Events Rochester, applauded the bill from Cooney, who has been a vocal supporter of legalizing recreational marijuana and protecting the other-than-heterosexual community.

“As an activist in both the cannabis and LGBTQIA+ worlds, I’m thrilled to see legislation intersecting both,” Leavy said. “If this bill passes, I will have the chance to participate in the cannabis industry and carve out a space for the queer community, providing safe access to cannabis, career opportunities, and continued outreach. This bill is just the start of something much larger to address the long-overdue representation of trans and nonbinary folks like myself.”

Amanda Babine, executive director of the social and political advocacy group Equality New York, said that the organization “was proud to support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.” 

“Since the passage, we have focused on ways we can ensure the rollout of this legislation is truly equitable,” Babine added. “We commend Senator Cooney for introducing legislation that will ensure the Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, & Non-Binary (TGNCNB) community be included in the social and economic equity plan. EQNY was proud to endorse such a strong ally like Senator Cooney.”

S. 7517 was introduced in the New York Senate by Cooney on November 12 and has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration. Senator Alessandra Biaggi, also a Democrat, has signed on as a co-sponsor of the legislation. The measure will take effect immediately if it is passed by the legislature and signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

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