That sound you hear is cannabis professionals applauding New York’s revised approach to cannabis legalization.
As each of the 50 states rolls out its own legalization plans, some have gotten it right and others have gotten it quite wrong. New York has us a bit concerned at first.
Having been involved with the cannabis profession since its legal inception, we believe the State of New York just made the right move, plugging a gaping hole (mostly, anyway) in its cannabis legalization process.
Instead of merely decriminalizing possession, they have legalized home grow along with the dispensaries.
It might seem like a minor nuance, but it’s actually incredibly important with huge ramifications. Some states, such as New Jersey, have legalized possession and legalized dispensaries, but did not legalize personal home grow.
With all the of the bureaucratic regulatory framework-building that needs to be done, and the licensing and building processes required, it will realistically be two to three years before dispensaries are opening doors for business.
Where are people supposedly getting their hands on these six ounces of weed, then? The answer: the black market.
Not enabling personal home grow means that cannabis users are going to turn to the black market in those states. But in New York, there’s now a clear and legal path to obtaining legal cannabis in the meantime: growing your own at home.
With a 60-day lead time, we expect this to be effective around the first of the year.
Green Goddess Supply produces a home grow system called “The Armoire,” which is designed to look like furniture while making it very easy for anyone to start growing at home, no experience necessary.
We have seen a big uptick in sales of The Armoire in the state of Virginia since July 1. Last month, 50 percent of our sales came from Virginia. It stuck out like a sore thumb to us.
That’s when we made the connection – Virginia made home grow legal as of July 1. We expect the same thing to happen in New York.
Most cannabis enthusiasts don’t want to deal with red tape or politics. They just want high quality, clean, organic bud at home quickly, easily and inexpensively. The new cannabis legislation in New York allows that to happen, very soon.
Vincent Bitetti is the Chief Cannabis Officer at Green Goddess Supply. Eric Robichaud is the CEO.
