Aug. 1, 2025 By Bill Parry An unlicensed interstate cannabis operation that transported thousands of pounds of marijuana and other illegal products from California to Queens was smashed following a search of two trucks and two storage locations in Maspeth and Long Island City, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday. Six people were…
Jul. 22, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Community Education Council 24 (CEC 24) is set to vote on a resolution that would call on the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to deny an application for a new cannabis dispensary in Maspeth, which CEC members contend is slated to open within 500 feet of an entrance…
Feb. 20, 2025 By Czarinna Andres Dozens of Bayside residents took to the streets on Tuesday, Feb. 18, protesting the approval of the Canna Buddha cannabis dispensary, which is set to open just one block from an elementary school. The rally, held outside the not-yet-opened shop at 215-46 39th Ave., drew parents, community advocates,…
Jul. 2, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan After a grand opening in mid-June, NY Elite Cannabis on Bell Boulevard in Bayside already has several regulars among the dozens of daily customers purchasing legal cannabis products. Many of these regulars are on a first-name basis with the owner, Carson Grant, who has called Queens home for nearly four…
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Apr. 3, 2024 By Anthony Medina A coalition of legal and licensed cannabis dispensary owners have come together to urge New York State officials to take swift legislative action against unlicensed weed shops. The dispensary owners have joined forces and penned a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul, State Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly…
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Mar. 25, 2024 By Anthony Medina The Cannabis Place, a legal adult-use cannabis dispensary, officially opened its doors at 74-03 Metropolitan Ave. in Middle Village on Saturday, March 16, after years of preparation and a slew of challenges. Osbert Orduña, the chief executive officer and founder of The Cannabis Place, joined with family, friends, and key…
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Jan. 8, 2024 By Anthony Medina A Community Board 5 committee rejected three applicants seeking adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses on Wednesday, Jan. 3—while deciding not to block four others from opening. The board’s Cannabis Committee – which reviews applications in the Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, and Middle Village neighborhoods – was tasked with weighing in on seven proposed locations for cannabis storefronts and found four of them in compliance with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management’s standards. The outcome of the meeting comes after the committee was met with strong community opposition against legal cannabis dispensaries, with many residents…
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Jan. 4, 2024 By Anthony Medina A new bill sponsored by Queens Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar aims to shut down smoke shops that are illegally selling cannabis in New York City. Rajkumar’s bill, called the SMOKEOUT Act (A8428), was introduced in Albany last week, and would grant local municipalities the power to close smoke shops caught illegally selling cannabis. Currently, the industry is primarily policed on a state level and enforcement has been limited. The bill aims to address the public’s concern about the proliferation of illegal smoke shops, which have emerged since cannabis use was legalized in 2021. “My…
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Dec. 29, 2023 By Anthony Medina Nine businesses that are looking to open licensed cannabis dispensaries in the Ridgewood/Glendale section of Queens will be going before a Community Board 5 committee next week in their quest for approval. The board’s Liquor License and Cannabis Committee will be reviewing the applications during its first meeting of…
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Dec. 15, 2023 By Anthony Medina Queens legislators have taken decisive action to combat the sale of illegal cannabis products this year, and the New York State Office of Cannabis Management reports that it has taken steps to combat the issue in the wake of the pressure. The OCM, which issues licenses as well as…
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