New State-Licensed Cannabis Dispensary Symbol Unveiled

LONG ISLAND, NY — A new "New York State Licensed Cannabis Dispensary" verification tool, to be posted in the windows of the legally licensed retail shops that are set to open by the end of the year, was unveiled by Gov. Kathy Hochul Thursday.

The goal is to ensure consumers know they are buying from a dispensary regulated by New York State, Hochul said — and to show that the product is up to state standards.

"It's critical for New York's cannabis consumers to understand the risks of buying untested, illicit products and to have the tools to guide them to the safer, legal market that's poised to open," Hochul said. "These tools will help to protect public health and strengthen our ability to deliver the equitable cannabis market our law envisions. We will continue to work with our partners in municipalities across the state to enforce the law and shutdown illicit operators who are selling products that put New Yorkers at risk."

As stores continue to open in the first quarter of 2023, the state will also be releasing a public education campaign called "Why Buy Legal New York," which will explain the benefits of purchasing legal adult-use cannabis for cannabis consumers, Hochul said.

The campaign will discuss the risks of buying untested illicit products, and how those products undermine the goals of New York's cannabis law to build the most equitable and inclusive cannabis market in the nation.

The dispensary verification tool will be posted in the front windows of each legally licensed dispensary. It will include a QR code that can be scanned by consumers and local community members. Also, similar version will be available for licensees "who are looking to jump start sales through delivery," Hochul said.