Rensselaer Riverfront Farmers Market now offers marijuana

New York State becomes the first in the nation to permit the sale of cannabis at state and locally authorized establishments.

New York's legal recreational cannabis market has opened its licensing process to anyone interested in running a dispensary, allowing applications from all cultivators, processors, microbusinesses, and retailers without prior marijuana convictions. The move comes after a court injunction and is seen as a positive step for the industry.

New York officials are intensifying efforts to crack down on unlicensed smoke shops selling cannabis, as the state struggles to establish its legal marijuana marketplace, with an estimated 1,500 unlicensed retailers in New York City potentially holding up to $484 million worth of marijuana products.