Harlem’s first pharmacy opens to customers

After months of controversy and litigation, Harlem’s first legal cannabis dispensary opened its doors to customers on Wednesday.

Gotham Buds celebrated its grand opening on West 125th Street in Manhattan – directly across from the historic Apollo Theater.

According to CBS New York, the store is “the 26th adult-use retail pharmacy to open in New York State,” as well as the first state-licensed pharmacy to open in the legendary neighborhood with a rich history of music and the arts.

For Gotham Buds, it was a long road to opening, filled with ups and downs.

A local business group, the 125th Street Business Improvement District, filed a lawsuit in April against the store’s opening, claiming that “the process was conducted in secret to avoid community opposition.” The group also raised concerns about the location of the cannabis store in relation to a school in the neighborhood.

“We took this action to really provide transparency and create a communication channel to understand why this location is the way it is,” said Mukaram Taheraly, chairman of the 125th Street Business Improvement District.

Barbara Askins, president of the 125th Street Business Improvement District, said the group believes “this location is bad for our children.”

However, the lawsuit was dismissed in August after a “judge ruled that the store across from the Apollo Theater is exempt from an injunction blocking the Office of Cannabis Management from opening additional dispensaries while a lawsuit against its licensing program is ongoing.” “, according to CBS New York.

The judge’s decision set the stage for a grand opening tentatively scheduled for Sept. 5, but the date was ultimately pushed back to this week.

“Harlem is not just our location – it is our community, our commitment. We are here to put down roots and become a pillar of making dreams come true,” said Jeffrey Lopez, an owner of Gotham Buds, in a statement quoted by the New York Daily News. “It’s about passion, vision and a goal bigger than ourselves.”

The state’s issuance of licenses for recreational cannabis dispensaries has also presented other legal challenges. In August, a New York judge issued a preliminary injunction against the lawsuit and temporarily suspended the issuance of licenses after a group of veterans filed a lawsuit.

The veterans questioned the state’s policy of awarding the first round of licenses to people with prior drug convictions.

The policy was announced last year by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

“New York State is making history and launching a unique approach to the cannabis industry that takes a major step forward in righting the wrongs of the past,” Hochul said in her announcement of the initiative. “The Cannabis Control Board’s proposed regulations today will prioritize local farmers and entrepreneurs and create jobs and opportunities for communities that have been excluded and left behind. I am proud that New York will be a national model for the safe, equitable and inclusive industry we are now building.”

According to the Daily News, the judge hearing the veterans’ case “ruled that the state Office of Cannabis Management failed to comply with the court, reversing the exemption and leaving stores like Gotham Buds in limbo.” that “hasn’t happened yet”. Another twist: Gotham Buds and four other dispensaries were allowed to open.”

More from the Daily News on Gotham Buds’ opening:

“Gotham Buds is now one of 11 legal cannabis stores in the five boroughs. However, there are thousands of unlicensed shops in the city that have evaded government rules and regulations while selling their ganja. The injunction wasn’t the only hurdle the Harlem store had to overcome. Earlier this year, the pharmacy faced intense community backlash and was hit with a lawsuit from a local business group that claimed the business would attract crime, increase congestion and encourage drug use in an area already plagued by all three . The application window for unconditional cannabis business licenses – for the general public – opened on October 4th and will remain open until early December. The newly expanded program will accept applications for new retail outlets, farms, processing plants and micro-enterprises.”

More than two years after New York legalized recreational cannabis for adults, the new market for legal weed continues to take shape.

The law was enacted by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. After Cuomo resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct, he was replaced by Hochul, who immediately went to work to get the legal marijuana market up and running.

Adult-use cannabis sales officially began in December when the state’s first legal dispensary opened in Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood.

“Just nine months ago, we set the course to put New York’s adult-use cannabis market on the right track by prioritizing equity, and now we are achieving that goal,” Hochul said in a statement at the time. “The industry will continue to grow from here, creating inclusive opportunities in every corner of New York State, with proceeds flowing to our schools and revitalizing communities.”