As Mayor Eric Adams shuts down hundreds of unlicensed marijuana stores, displaced customers are increasingly turning to the growing number of legal dispensaries that are cropping up across New York City. But some cannabis consumers say they are still confused about how to distinguish state-approved shops and what sets their products apart from unlicensed ones.
With the recreational marijuana market still in flux, there is a chaotic mix of regulated and rogue weed stores lining city streets and showing up in online search results for a “dispensary near me.”
Gothamist spoke with some consumers who said they have their own methods of identifying legal shops — but they aren’t always reliable.
Jay Patel, an office worker who was chatting with a friend in Washington Square Park, said he looks for the stores with the most Google reviews.
“If it’s under 1,000 or something, like 500 even, it’s usually one of the pop-up ones that are probably illegal,” Patel said.
Others said they look for packaging that appears more official or storefronts that seem upscale, though these can often be misleading.
Some consumers said they care more about convenience and value when buying marijuana than state-approved testing of the products.
For those who prefer legal cannabis or seek a reliable vendor that isn’t at risk of shutdown, Gothamist has created a map of the city’s legal dispensaries and a handy guide to New York’s marijuana market.
How can you tell if a dispensary is licensed?
In some cases, it may be obvious that a shop is not state-licensed to sell marijuana. If the bodega where you buy milk suddenly starts stocking THC vapes behind the counter, it’s almost certain it’s unlicensed.
But unlicensed stores might also appear legit if the owners invested in fancy displays or have security guards posted at the door. Others may falsely claim they have a license when customers ask.
Searching online doesn’t necessarily clear things up. Platforms like Google and Yelp continue to list unlicensed shops, despite complaints from Gov. Kathy Hochul and some of the licensed dispensary owners who say it’s confusing consumers.
But there is one surefire way to tell if a shop is licensed: The seal on the window.
All state-sanctioned marijuana dispensaries will display a seal adorned with the state stamp, a marijuana leaf and a QR code on their front window. Ensure to scan the QR code to verify its legitimacy. The code should take you to the state’s list of verified dispensaries — not a website for the store.
Are legal dispensaries more expensive?
Although many licensed dispensary owners say they try to keep their pricing competitive, they can’t avoid the fact that their offerings are subject to a 13% sales tax. Some consumers prefer the underground market because it’s cheaper — especially when buying in bulk.
What is the difference between products sold at licensed and unlicensed shops?
Legal products sold in New York must all be grown, processed, and tested in-state. Whether it’s a vape, edible or flower, it will have a New York State seal on the packaging, along with a label indicating that it’s for those “21+” and information about the amount of THC and CBD.
New York’s regulated products also have QR codes that take consumers to a “certificate of analysis” with detailed information on the results of lab testing.
In unlicensed shops, it can be difficult to verify where the products come from or if they were properly tested for THC levels or potential contaminants.
Part of the confusion around New York’s marijuana market stems from the fact that unlicensed shops sometimes sell products wrapped in official-looking packaging.
A bag of weed gummies from an unlicensed shop might be sold in a bag stamped with a seal from California, a warning to keep the product away from children, and the amount THC it supposedly contains.
In some cases, untested, homemade edibles or weed that’s grown outside of the legal market are simply dressed up in fancy packaging that can be purchased in bulk online.
But it’s likely that at least some of the products sold in unlicensed shops were produced and tested in other states where marijuana is legal and then sent to New York, said Beau Allulli, who ran an underground weed delivery service in the five boroughs before opening the legal dispensary Mighty Lucky in Manhattan.
“I sold Caminos for years,” he said, referring to a popular brand of edibles from a California-based company that comes in colorful round tins.
Those tins can be found in some unlicensed shops in New York with California labels — although there’s always the chance they could be knockoffs.
To make matters more confusing, Caminos are now also produced and sold legally in New York. That’s why looking for the New York label and QR code is key if you want to know exactly what you’re getting.
Are the products sold at unlicensed shops dangerous?
The state Office of Cannabis Management published a fact sheet debunking claims of fentanyl-laced cannabis.
But that hasn’t stopped both Adams and Hochul from suggesting that products sold in unlicensed shops might be laced with the powerful opioid.
An official with the city sheriff’s office clarified at a press conference last month that fentanyl was found in the ongoing raids of unlicensed smoke shops, but it had been discovered “separately” from the cannabis products that were seized.
However, officials say there may be other contaminants in marijuana that isn’t approved or tested by the state.
Ryan Lavis, a spokesperson for the city sheriff’s office, said law enforcement found cannabis in unlicensed shops that is “sprayed with chemicals and other potentially harmful liquids.”
Lavis did not respond to questions about what kinds of chemicals or liquids the sheriff’s office found.
The state Office of Cannabis Management is in the process of working with labs across New York to start testing some of the marijuana that has been seized from unlicensed shops, according to agency spokesperson Taylor Randi. But she didn’t say when those results would be available.
Meanwhile, there have been some growing pains as the state works to perfect the testing protocols for licensed cannabis products in the recreational market. There have been recalls for products that were not properly tested — although state officials said they were just precautionary, not in response to people getting sick.
Last year, a New York Cannabis Insider investigation questioned whether the state is being too lenient in its testing protocols for various types of mold and bacteria that consumers could be ingesting.
When will a licensed shop open near me?
If you don’t currently have a legal shop near you, that could change in the near future.
Hochul is seeking to accelerate the licensing of legal dispensaries. At the same time, some business owners who have received licenses over the past couple of years are finally opening their stores after being hampered by legal delays, red tape and financial challenges.
Can I get delivery?
For years before marijuana was legalized for recreational use in March 2021, delivery was the main way New Yorkers got their weed. That’s still an option on the legal market.
Many dispensaries allow customers to place orders for delivery through their websites. There are also some delivery-only services listed on the map of licensed vendors above.
What if I don’t want to buy marijuana, can I grow my own?
Yes! As of late June, adults over 21 are allowed to grow up to six plants at home, with a maximum of 12 per household.
While consumers are typically able to possess up to three ounces of cannabis under state law, amateur cultivators can possess up to five pounds of marijuana grown at home.
Growers can also gift up to three ounces of that flower to others — but selling it without a license is still illegal. Find more information on the rules from the Office of Cannabis Management.
Data visualization by Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilenksy.