Here's Where To Buy Legal Weed: New Shops In NY, FL And Five More States, Benzinga's Take On Top MMJ Dispensaries

New York's Recreational Weed Market Grows Slowly, But Steadily

New York's marijuana retail footprint is growing slowly but steadily. Now that an investment group based in Chicago gave $150 million to the state's Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund to accelerate the slow roll-out of the recreational market, more store openings can be expected.

Two new stores launched recreational cannabis sales statewide over the past few weeks.

• Statis Cannabis Co, a minority- and woman-owned cannabis company and New York Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary license holder, and Dormitory Authority of the State of New York hosted a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 817 E. Tremont Ave. on June 29, marking the opening of the first adult-use cannabis dispensary in the Bronx, New York City. 
• Meanwhile, Rensselaer is now home to the Capital Region's second cannabis dispensary, adding to the growing options for New Yorkers seeking access to cannabis, reported WAMC. Damian Fagon, New York Office of Cannabis Management's chief equity officer, welcomed visitors to Stage One Dispensary earlier this month in the former Rensselaer County Bank at 810 Broadway.

Florida's New MMJ Stores

Meanwhile, two companies expanded their retail presence in one of the nation's largest medical markets, which could soon expand to recreational sales. That is if the state Attorney General Ashley Moody succeeds in her attempts to keep off marijuana legalization initiative from appearing on the 2024 ballot.

• Verano Holdings Corp. VRNO VRNOF opened MÜV Fort Piece on Friday, July 7, its 70th Florida dispensary and 131st location nationwide. MÜV Fort Pierce is located at 1006 South U.S. Highway 1.
• Insa, Inc. kicked off sales at its ninth store in the Sunshine State. The Jacksonville dispensary at 10051 Skinner Lake Drive has a dock on Deerwood Lake and welcomes patients to experience the quality and craftsmanship that goes into each product and the educational, in-store experience.

New Weed Shops In Five States

• The Massachussets-based Insa also opened its first medical cannabis dispensary in Ohio, another burgeoning medical marijuana market, which is poised to go recreational now that Ohio's Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) has submitted 222,198 signatures for a proposed law allowing adults to buy, possess and grow cannabis.
• Columbia Care Inc. CCHW CCHW CCHWF 3LP launched recreational sales at its three Maryland retail locations Columbia Care Chevy Chase, gLeaf Rockville and gLeaf Frederick earlier this month. Maryland voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to legalize recreational cannabis this past November. The new law went into effect on July 1.
• Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. CURA CURLF kicked off sales at its Groton, Connecticut retail location recently. Located at 79 Gold Star Highway, Curaleaf Groton is the company's third dispensary in Connecticut to open its doors to adult-use customers.
• Ocean County's first recreational dispensary opened its doors to New Jersey customers last Friday. The Social Leaf at 434 Atlantic City Boulevard is the 47th marijuana dispensary statewide, reported Asbury Park Press. Thomas Marino, a local barber who joined three other nearby merchants to create The Social Leaf, said the new venture would employ roughly 50 people.
• Dakota Herb at 112 E. Main St. in downtown Vermillion, South Dakota, will kick off cannabis sales on July 24, with Jim Belushi set to appear on behalf of his Belushi's Farm cannabis brand, "The Blues Brothers," reported Sioux City Journal.

Benzinga's Take On Top Dispensaries Nationwide

To help seasoned cannabis connoisseurs and visitors make quality purchase decisions, Benzinga opted to list some of the top dispensaries nationwide using Star ratings from Google, which were arrived at by consumer reviews. So far, we've dived into the exciting world of marijuana dispensaries in Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

And on this subject, why not join us to meet the entrepreneurs, top cannabis experts and executives running some of the best marijuana dispensaries nationwide? Join us at the most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference. We'll be in Chicago on September 27-28 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. Come and engage with CEOs, policymakers and thought leaders. And perhaps gain some recognition by applying to the Benzinga Cannabis Awards.

Don't miss out. Secure your tickets now before prices go up.

Photo: Courtesy of Thought Catalog on Unsplash