The Long Island Pharmacy in Farmingdale will open on July 8.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that the first marijuana dispensaries opened this week in the Bronx and Long Island, with two more opening in the Capital Region and the South. This will bring the total number of legal and licensed dispensaries in the state to 19.
“New York is leading the nation in building a new cannabis industry that advances social justice and provides economic opportunity for those harmed by the unfair enforcement of cannabis laws,” Governor Hocher said. “With these new dispensaries opening in New York, we are providing New Yorkers with safer products while furthering our ambitious goal of achieving equity in New York’s cannabis laws.”
The Bronx dispensary, Statis Cannabis Co, is backed by the New York Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund (the “Fund”), a program created by Gov. Hochul and passed by the Legislature to prioritize licensing to individuals involved in the administration of justice. Statis Cannabis Company will open its sale to the public on Thursday, July 6 at 4:20 pm at 817 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. It’s run by entrepreneurs Angel Turuseta and Emely Chavez, who have a Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license through the New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). Emely is a graduate of Rutgers University and New Jersey City University with a Master of Arts in Special Education and has been a special education teacher for over ten years. A native of New York, Angel found an opportunity as a city employee at the New York City Department of Transportation.
The Long Island Dispensary (Strain Stars LLC) will open Saturday, July 8 at noon at 1815 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale. The pharmacy will be owned and operated by Kamaldeep Singh, Tushar Mallick, Jasmin Kaur, Kamaldeep Singh, Darminder Sing and Gurmeet Sing. For five years, Kamaldeep Singh, an applicant for justice, owned and operated Whitestone Mart Inc, a gas station with retail storefronts in Whitestone, New York. Singer also holds a cannabinoid retail license from the Office of Cannabis Regulation.
Stage One Cannabis LLC, which will transition from a delivery-only model to a full-service dispensary, will open July 7 at 810C Broadway in Rensselaer. It will be owned and operated by Nathaniel Innes, Galina German-Innes, Sugey Mirsky and Joshua Mirsky. For 11 years, Joshua Mirsky has owned and operated Foster House Studios in Albany.
Also opening on July 8 is Exscape INC, a full-service pharmacy located at 1308 Vestal Parkway E in Vestal. The dispensary will be owned and operated by Todd Hartman, also an applicant involved in Justice. For 21 years, Mr. Hartman has owned and operated Designs by Pyramid, an Upstate New York-based wholesaler of tobacco and vaping products.
Last week, Greenery opened a dispensary in South Johnson City. The pharmacy is owned and operated by Christopher M. Myers, Brandon R. Myers and Gregory R. Myers. Gregory Myers has owned and operated Myers Security LLC, a security integration company, for three years.
A week ago, Governor Hochul announced that private investor Chicago Atlantic Group had invested up to $150 million in the fund, which has been authorized by the Governor and the New York State Legislature to support acquisition, design, construction, Cannabis dispensary staffed locations operated by CAURD licensees. The opening of the dispensary helps advance New York’s goal of fairness in cannabis licensing, which prioritizes licensing to judicial officers involved in cannabis convictions or close relatives of those convicted of cannabis.
Statis Cannabis Co. is backed by the fund and will open as a “pop-up store.” As with such pop-up stores, this will offer licensees the opportunity to open short-term to fast-track sales and begin generating capital for their business before closing for final construction and reopening long-term.
For a complete list of legal, licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries in New York State, visit https://cannabis.ny.gov/
Reuben McDaniel, III, President and CEO, New York State Housing Authority, said, “I am delighted to see the first dispensary open in the Bronx, a collaboration between the Fund, DASNY and the Office of Cannabis Regulatory. The dispensary’s location in the heart of the Bronx is a testament to New York’s commitment to serving cannabis The drive and commitment of a personal commitment to open doors to invest in communities and find success for them and their families. I thank Governor Hochul for his leadership in this program, which addresses deep-rooted historical injustices, and which received strong support from the Legislature support, and the work of the Fund’s leadership.
Statis Co-Founder Angel you have no market, “We thank DASNY, the New York Office of Cannabis Regulatory Affairs, and Governor Hochul for this incredible opportunity not only to bring us another step forward in righting our failed ‘war on drugs’, but also to demonstrate the value that entrepreneurs like us can play in What can be done is fair and support is in place. We look forward to opening our permanent store near Yankee Stadium and expanding our footprint and reaching more New Yorkers with delivery in the near future.”
Emely Chavez, co-founder of Statis, said, “With the support of DASNY, Statis will provide life-changing treatment and subsistence-wage jobs in the communities where many of us work and live. Given that cannabis prohibition remains one of the most successful misinformation campaigns in modern American history, we Also look forward to hosting educational community events that bring our community together and give back to the people of the Bronx.”
Dr. Meisha Porter, President and CEO of the Bronx Community Foundation said: “The opening of this dispensary completes the cannabis story in the Bronx. We all know that residents of our borough have suffered disproportionately during cannabis prohibition. Now we’re writing a new chapter, with a new legal cannabis industry helping The Bronx has overcome decades of diminished investment and helped our community build a durable, sustainable future. I want to thank Governor Hochul and our statewide partners for making this day possible.”
Chris Alexander, executive director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Regulation, said: “As we witness the historic opening of the first legal dispensaries in the Bronx and Long Island, we celebrate an important step toward equitable access to safer cannabis. This momentous moment not only brings economic opportunity to these communities, And represents our commitment to fostering a responsible and inclusive cannabis industry. We look forward to the positive impact these dispensaries will have on the residents of the Bronx and Long Island as we continue to prioritize social equity, public health and safety while expanding across New York State marijuana market.”
Tremaine Wright, chair of the New York State Marijuana Control Commission, said:Excited to celebrate the first legal dispensary in the Bronx and Long Island. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership and DASNY’s support, New York is at the forefront of diversifying the national cannabis industry. These pioneering institutions not only provide a safe and regulated environment for cannabis access, but demonstrate 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. “
Damian Fagon, chief equity officer for the New York Office of Cannabis Regulatory Affairs, said, “Although Bronx residents make up only 7 percent of New York’s population, Bronx residents have accounted for more than 20 percent of all marijuana-related arrests since 1980, with more than 95 percent of those arrested being black or Hispanics. New York is working hard to right these historic wrongs and give those who have been harmed by bad policies the opportunity to build thriving businesses the right way. From the Bronx to Long Island and into every corner of this state, these opportunities It’s been years in the making and seeing these entrepreneurs makes me very proud to have their store open.”
Lavita Willis, The head of the Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund said, “As head of New York’s Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund, I am honored to witness the opening of the first licensed cannabis dispensary in the Bronx, led by justice-inspired entrepreneur Angel Turuseta and co-founder Emely Chavez. This The dispensary opening is a powerful step in our mission to prioritize equity in cannabis licensing and ensure that individuals involved in justice have the opportunity to thrive in this industry. It takes a village. Partnering with the Governor’s Office, OCM, DASNY and Chicago Atlantic The group’s collaboration will bring these visions to life and create lasting change in our communities.”
Partnering with Social Equity Services, a subsidiary of the New York State Housing Authority, the fund is a public-private limited partnership to help social equity entrepreneurs succeed in New York’s nascent adult-use cannabis industry. Managed by Social Equity Impact Ventures, the fund will help justice-involved CAURD licensees pay for the establishment of adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries. It is backed by up to $50 million in licensing fees and revenues from the adult-use cannabis industry and up to $150 million from the private sector.
