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State begins rolling out cannabis licenses in the Finger Lakes

Following a protracted legal standoff, the New York State Office of Cannabis Management will begin issuing its inaugural licenses for cannabis dispensaries in the Finger Lakes region starting today.


The initial licensing process had been obstructed by a lawsuit from a Michigan-based company, asserting that New York was discriminating against non-local businesses by prioritizing those with marijuana convictions within the state.

The company’s preferred region was the Finger Lakes, hence the legal injunction applied specifically to this area.

The region encompasses Monroe, Orleans, Wayne, Livingston, Genesee, Wyoming, Ontario, Yates, and Seneca counties. Although the state legalized recreational cannabis in March 2021 and issued 99 dispensary licenses in April, none were allocated to the Finger Lakes region until now.