New Yorkers have waited for legal recreational cannabis sales for too long. Although the state legalized adult-use cannabis in March 2021, it took until November 21 of this year to hand out retail licenses.

Finally, the NYS Office of Cannabis Management made a historic announcement involving the state’s upcoming cannabis dispensaries. It states that the New York Cannabis Control Board has approved the first batch of CAURD licenses (Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licenses).

Social equity licensing is a priority for New York, encouraging minority and underserved communities to have a fair shot at thriving in the modern industry. According to the tweet from the NYS Office of Cannabis Management, 28 justice-involved individuals and 8 nonprofit organizations were selected for approval.

Below is the list of New York’s first 36 approved cannabis retail licenses, 28 of which are justice-involved individuals and 8 being nonprofit organizations:

• Capital District Cannabis & Wellness Inc – Capital Region
• William Durham – Southern Tier
• D-Andrews LLC – Capital Region
• Nube NYC LLC – The Bronx
• Gabby Green LLC – Queens
• Essential Flowers – Capital Region
• Brian Stark Enterprises LLC – Long Island
• Albert D Capraro – Long Island
• Strain Stars LLC – Long Island
• On Point Cannabis, Inc. – Binghamton
• Smacked LLC – Manhattan
• Brent L Rogers – North County
• Root 13, LLC – Long Island
• Gabriel Marin – Manhattan
• Housing Works Cannabis LLC – New York City
• Florisun LLC – Manhattan
• Growth Industries – Long Island
• The Doe Fund LLC – New York City
• Carl M. Anderson III – The Bronx
• Royal Leaf NY LLC – The Bronx
• Keep It A 100 LLC – Long Island
• CGG Enterprises Inc – Queens
• CURED NY, LLC – Mohawk Valley
• Kush & Kemet, LLC – Queens
• Urban Weeds LLC – Queens
• GOTHAM CAURD LLC – New York City
• CWS Holdings I, LLC – Ithaca
• EASTERN HOLDINGS 88 LIC – Staten Island
• PLANET 51 LLC – Manhattan
• Stage One Cannabis LLC – Capital Region
• Suzanne M Furboter – Queens
• NYCCABUDS – Center for Community Alternatives – NYC, Rochester, and Syracuse
• Anthony Crapanzano – Queens
• SAMJNY Holdings LLC – Staten Island
• Union Chill Cannabis NY LLC – Southern Tier
• Hydro Phonics – Long Island

New York’s recreational cannabis retail is expected to launch by the end of 2022. This might be true, considering there is allegedly $750 million worth of state-legal cannabis grown by New York farmers that are packaged and ready to hit the shelves.

New Yorkers have waited patiently for this promise to become a reality, and today’s first 36 licenses are an excellent start.