New York Dispensary Targets January Opening

Talk about planning ahead.

One of the five companies that received initial approval for a medical cannabis business license in New York is planning for a January opening near Union Square in Manhattan.

Columbia Care, which also has licenses in Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts and Washington, DC, will run the New York City dispensary.

Though that timeline may sound ambitious given that licenses were just awarded at the end of July, the five companies are legally bound to open within six months of receiving their permits. That means they only have until the start of February to start serving customers, otherwise they risk losing their licenses.

Those watching the New York industry, however, expect the state to be somewhat flexible on the timeline, given that six months to cultivate and process MMJ may prove difficult.

Other dispensaries will be scattered around the state, with most of them outside New York City proper.