Territory dispensaries are businesses that sell marijuana products. They are regulated and taxed by the state or territory in which they operate.
In most states, a license is necessary to sell cannabis. Additionally, it’s subject to both state sales tax and local government taxes.
Medical Marijuana Dispensary
According to NBC News, Native Americans have created some of New York’s first legal recreational marijuana shops on tribal lands despite federal law still classifying cannabis as illegal. These operations are regulated and licensed by their tribal governments rather than by the state, however, NBC News notes that these operations do not need state licenses in order to operate.
Many of these dispensaries have sprouted on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation in western New York; others are opening up among more suburban tribes such as Shinnecock Nation on Long Island, which plans to open both a cultivation facility and retail store by early 2023.
The state has taken a variety of approaches to regulating medical marijuana dispensaries, both at the state and local levels (Cuniff, 2011; Kuhney, 2011). These policy approaches differ significantly and various spatial methods have been employed to assess their impacts.
Recreational Marijuana Dispensary
State regulators have been delaying creating regulations and licenses for adult recreational marijuana sales for months. Meanwhile, Native American tribes across America have responded by opening their own stores. Reservation-based tribes like Mohawks and Senecas have welcomed legal sales by setting up nation-run shops with systems of regulation and taxation in place.
In March 2021, The New York Times reported that the Shinnecock Indian Nation on Long Island’s east end has opened a 5,000-square-foot dispensary. Its rules require laboratory testing to guarantee products are free of contaminants, mold, or other hazardous substances and guidelines to make sure advertising materials don’t target children.
Cayuga Nation currently operates two dispensaries on its territory in the Finger Lakes region and plans to open cultivation spaces. Furthermore, they have begun licensing some of the independent shops that have sprouted up along their border in Southampton, N.Y. — a wealthy suburb long a favorite summer retreat for celebrities and their entourages — for commercial use.
Retail Marijuana Dispensary
Eight months have passed since New York State legalized recreational marijuana and still no shops have opened their doors. That is because the state has yet to create regulations or issue licenses for dispensaries.
Thankfully, some Native American nations in Upstate New York have taken the initiative and filled this void. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and Seneca, Oneida, and Cayuga nations have all established nation-operated or licensed programs for cannabis sales.
For instance, The Seneca Nation is opening a 2,500-square-foot dispensary in Niagara Falls and a cultivation facility on the Southern Tier. They plan to open both facilities early this year.
Good Leaf, located on Seneca territory in western New York, is a former gas station and hotel owned by tribal dispensary owners Ross and Jay John. With nods to the old Holiday Inn Express, they serve up slushies, bong hits and an assortment of edibles.
Online Marijuana Dispensary
Shopping for marijuana online is becoming more and more common. Not only does it save time and money, but it also gives you access to a wider selection of products.
In New York State, for instance, cannabis retailers are now providing delivery services as well. These businesses partner with Weedmaps and bring products like marijuana directly to your door like a food delivery app would do.
To take advantage of these services, you must be 21 and possess a valid ID. Additionally, reviews on dispensaries can help determine which ones offer reliable and excellent customer service.
Online sales and deliveries for marijuana retailers are on the rise, yet the legal status of cannabis remains murky in many states. This poses significant obstacles for e-commerce and delivery merchants operating within these borders.
