In a first, New York opens its legal recreational marijuana shop

In a historic move, New York opened its first legal recreational marijuana dispensary in Manhattan's heart on Thursday.

Around 100 citizens queued outside the dispensary in East Village, New York City, which is being managed by the non-profit Housing Works, an organisation that works for AIDS patients and homeless people.

Speaking about the opening of a marijuana dispensary, Governor Kathy Hochul said, "The first legal adult-use cannabis sales mark a historic milestone in New York's cannabis industry."

In her statement, Hochul said that she expects the city to serve "as a national model for the safe, equitable and inclusive industry we are now building."

Ex-felons granted first licenses

The government authorities granted 36 groups or individuals, including Housing Works, for the first time license for a legal marijuana shop on November 21.

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New York City aims at granting the first 150 licenses to traders who were earlier convicted of selling or possessing cannabis.

The city's goal is to mend decades of the disproportionate and unfair impact of the prohibition of marijuana, which has left a negative impact on African American and Hispanic communities.

The governor said that whatever tax will be collected from the marijuana dispensaries will "be invested in communities across the state to support public schools, addiction services, mental health services, housing and other community-based programmes."

Addressing the reporters, New York state senator Liz Krueger said that the opening of legal marijuana dispensaries will help "those most impacted by the failed cannabis criminalisation policies of the past."

A real monetary gain

Hard-line Mayor Eric Adams, who was once a police officer, agreed that the dispensary has economic benefits, stating that the "legal cannabis market could be a real boon to New York's economic recovery... through increased tax revenues".

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In the shop's festive atmosphere, founder of Housing Works Charles King said that he was "eager to reinvest the profits to provide essential services to tens of thousands of New Yorkers who need it".

Manhattan borough president Mark Levine attended the shop's opening and purchased cannabis products, which included jelly beans.

It has been more than a year since consuming cannabis has been made legal for adults over the age of 21 in New York. As per City Hall's estimation, $1.3 billion should be earned in sales by 2023 and around 19,000 to 24,000 new jobs should be created in the next three years.

(With inputs from agencies)