They say the state has failed to follow through on promises to provide them with retail outlet sites and accurate construction costs.
NEW YORK — New York’s fledgling weed entrepreneurs initially felt like they’d won the golden ticket, securing the right to open up the first legal recreational shops in what’s expected to be one of the world’s biggest cannabis markets.
The opportunity seemed all the more extraordinary because of how New York has opted to award dispensary licenses: Entrepreneurs who have past cannabis convictions or an immediate family member with a past conviction get first dibs on the coveted slots. The goal is to ensure that people harmed by marijuana enforcement are able to reap the financial benefits of legalization.
But the rollout of New York’s adult-use market has been a mess. Fewer than 20 licensed shops have opened in the two-plus years since marijuana possession was legalized, while at the same time thousands of illicit retailers are flourishing all over the state.