Curaleaf will commence adult-use sales in New York “very soon.”
The New York-based multistate cannabis operator received special-use approval Jan. 18 to transition its medical cannabis dispensary in Newburgh, N.Y.—part of the state’s Hudson Valley region—to serve adult-use customers.
The company plans to provide delivery access to adult-use customers as soon as Jan. 20, followed by a soft opening for in-person sales at the end of this month, pending approval from the New York Office of Cannabis Management, CEO Matt Darin said in a statement provided to Cannabis Business Times.
“Our team has been preparing for this moment since 2021,” Darin said of when former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed adult-use legislation into law.
“As a New York-based company with a long history here, we’ve been honored to serve New York's medical market since 2017,” he said. “This expanded offering will not change our commitment and prioritization of the loyal medical patient community we’ve served over the last seven years. New York patients and customers deserve legal, safe and regulated products in their cannabis choices and have waited a long time for this moment. We can’t wait to welcome adult-use patrons through the doors of our newly remodeled Newburgh dispensary and look forward to opening additional adult-use retail locations this year.”
Curaleaf also has New York retail facilities in Carle Place, Plattsburgh and Queens.
As one of the Empire State’s 10 medical cannabis operators, Curaleaf and its peers were shut out of the state’s adult-use market by state regulators during the first year of retail operations in an effort to provide social equity licensees footing in the nascent market under a Seeding Opportunity Initiative.
With plans to commence adult-use retail operations at its Newburgh location, Curaleaf will join fellow medical cannabis operator PharmaCann, which was the state’s first registered organization to transition from medical to adult-use sales earlier this month at its Verilife dispensary in Albany.
There are currently 51 adult-use dispensaries across the state of New York, according to OCM.
“All of us at Curaleaf are thrilled,” Darin said.
