When New York legalized recreational cannabis, they set a very clear sign: it’s open season and with it an exploding grey market. What did they really expect to happen? Cannabis and entrepreneurs have been tied at the hip for forever. New York is going to be a massive market with some estimates putting it upward of 4+ billion dollars within 5 years. Entrepreneurs are doing what they do best which is seizing the moment,acting, and getting a head start even if it comes with a little bit of risk.
While I’m not condoning illegal business, but legalizing Cannabis, and then slowly rolling out the process–what did the New York regulators expect would happen? Unlicensed dispensaries are not a “new” or a recent popup. They’ve been around and are likely more common and accessible than most would believe. The big difference now is they are above ground. Previously, to find these places it was through word of mouth, or you had to be introduced by someone connected. *Hat tip to you Dave!
I wanted to investigate,so a quick Google map search brought up over 20 dispensaries listed on Google maps. Some are legitimate dispensaries owned and operated by Columbia Care and Curaleaf. Others,not so much.
Then there is this one I found with the URL WeedinNYC.org. Maybe they are selling hemp products or maybe not.
Search trends for New York Cannabis dispensaries are also trending up over the last 5 years which is what you would expect for an area with eager consumers. They are interested and ready to consume cannabinoids and after seeing the Delta-8-THC explosion last year, the takeaway is the same. Consumers want to consume Cananboids products now.
My biggest fear is that a consumer uses a grey market product and ends up getting sick. The massive backlash that ensues from society and others like Governor Ricketts is just another added hurdle. When consumers have access to products, they assume it has tested safe and is regulated. They have a false sense of security. One mistake or one issue where a consumer gets sick will cause an absolute shitstorm for the operators already adhering to stringent rules and regulations. The legal operators in the industry are the ones already playing by the rules.
Finally, I’m not saying the grey or legacy market needs to be completely squashed. What needs to happen is that New York allows adult use now so consumers have the easy availability to select a tested and regulated product. This way its clear that there is a risk with consuming unregulated grey market products. Until then fingers crossed.
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