BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Five years after New York legalized marijuana, the state's cannabis industry is generating billions of dollars, but local business owners say the rollout has been frustrating.
The State Office of Cannabis Management held a listening session in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday, where those with licenses for growing, dispensing, cultivating and on-site consumption shared their concerns.
"I need this full thing together so I can sell this to my investors," one speaker said.
"They should be able to do the same thing for a business license and an on-site consumption license," another speaker said.
WATCH: Cannabis business owners in Buffalo voice concerns over regulations
John Averill owns The Roaring Four Twenties Lounge, a private club where people can consume cannabis. However, he still cannot legally sell it.
"No one has ever given me a reason why it has not been done. In fact, most of the time when I'm speaking to that group, their heads are nodding as I'm telling them how much they need on-site consumption to exist, and they're agreeing with me, and then they're not doing it," Averill explained.
Simone Washington, the chief equity officer for New York State's cannabis office, acknowledged gaps and inconsistencies in the regulations. She said the law is working to bring revenue back to communities harmed by past drug laws.
"We are actively looking into that. Again, it is in the law. It is something that people have asked about. A lot of nuances that go into creating on-site, consumption," Washington said.
"Is it generating the revenue the state predicted?" I asked.
"I think it's going well beyond what we predicted. We're right at $3.3 billion, and we're not even into the third quarter of this year. And so this, this is a true money maker for the state," Washington replied.
To see how local dispensaries are faring, I visited The Joint in Buffalo. The shop opened last June, and business is doing very well.
"And every weekend we get busier. Now, with the weather changing, starting to notice, people that came in on Friday for what they normally come in for, are now coming in on like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, just for their walking joint or their walking drink," Andrew Lapenna said.
Andrew Lapenna, who works at The Joint, said the stigma surrounding cannabis is starting to die off.
"People are coming in just looking for help to sleep or just looking for help being social," Lapenna said.
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