The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) was signed
into law on March 31, 2021 legalizing adult use of cannabis in the State of New
York.
Under this State law it is legal for adults 21 years of age
and older statewide to obtain and possess cannabis for personal use. Smoking cannabis in public places is
permitted anywhere cigarettes may be smoked, except in vehicles while on a
public street, which includes street parking and most parking lots and garages.
The City of Rochester “opted in” to allow licensed adult-use
cannabis retail dispensaries, microbusinesses, and consumption lounges to be
situated within the City limits subject to various zoning and “time, place, and
manner” restrictions. The City reviews all proposed adult-use cannabis retail
dispensaries and microbusiness applicants that are submitted to the state.
Based on very specific criteria the City is permitted to object to a proposed
license to the Cannabis Control Board.
- The City's zoning and regulations for cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption lounges were approved at City Council Committee on November 3, 2021. You can find the approved legislation here. The City Council transmittal is here and supplemental resources are here.
- City Council convened a Work Session on August 18, 2022, to discuss proposed zoning and regulations for dispensaries and on-site consumption lounges. Watch the recording of the Work Session here>>
- The City held three
community meetings to discuss ideas for zoning and local regulation of cannabis
businesses on May 25 (Arnett Library), May 31 (Gantt
R-Center) and June 2, 2022 (virtual). Watch the recording of the June 2 meeting here>> You can find the slide deck from that meeting here >>
There are only a few licensed adult –use cannabis retail
dispensaries throughout NYS that are permitted to sell cannabis at this time.
When cannabis is purchased from unlicensed dispensaries there are no safety
controls over the products.
For more information, click here.
For any emergency call 911.
To report a concern about a dispensary (legal or not), sales
to minors, mislabeling, or an adverse health event related to cannabis use, call
the Office of Cannabis Management at 1-888-626-5151. Additionally, we encourage
the reporting of illegal cannabis retail dispensaries through the NSC Service
Centers. All licensed dispensaries are issued a Dispensary
Verification Tool which is posted in the storefront. Scan the QR code to be
directed to OCM's website with a list of all licensed adult-use
cannabis dispensaries or, click here.
For additional educational information regarding legal
cannabis you can refer to the links below that can be also found on the OCM
website, Office of Cannabis Management |
Office of Cannabis Management (ny.gov):
The
Guide to Safer Cannabis Consumption
How
Adult-Use Cannabis Taxes Support Your Community
How
to Read a Lab Certificate of Analysis for Your Cannabis Product
How
to Read a Cannabis Product's Label
What
You Need to Know About the Legalization of Cannabis in New York
For information about establishing a legal dispensary in the
City of Rochester or as an additional means to report an illegal dispensary
please email Sade McCallan at Sade.McCallan@CityofRochester.gov.
You can also refer to the Rochester Public Library for cannabis support and
resources at the Central Library. Click here
to learn more about cannabis programs and resources that are available to the
public.
For information regarding laws related to the use of
cannabis, please contact 311 (or 585-428-5990) and ask for a Public Safety
Aide.