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In this episode Herb describes his concerns with the turmoil at the NYS Office of Cannabis Management and how that might impact the momentum in the state’s evolving cannabis industry.

In the first segment, Herb speaks with Jennifer Cabrera, Esq., a partner at Vicente, LLP, a law firm focused on cannabis law and policy. Jennifer’s work with cannabis license applicants in NY and NJ provides us with the episode’s possible subtitle - “Jennifer’s Guide to Opening a Dispensary”. This is a must-listen for anyone considering opening a cannabis dispensary.

In our Licensee Highlight segment, we speak to the remarkable Leeann Mata, owner of the Brooklyn dispensary, Matawana. Leeann describes how her brother’s arrest for a low-level marijuana offense changed his life, and almost left her family homeless. Today, Leeann, a single mother of three, has earned two degrees and is the first black woman to open a licensed cannabis dispensary in Brooklyn, NY.

Further Reading on Our Guests and Topics

• New York Cannabis Chief Resigns After Criticism from Hochul
• NY Cannabis Management Leader Chris Alexander Resigns Early, Leaving Post Unfilled
• Matawana Is Brooklyn’s First Black Woman–Owned Dispensary
• Brooklyn’s first Black woman-owned dispensary opens in Park Slope, Adams vows to crack down on illegal sellers

Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is produced by Herb Barbot, with additional production and engineering by Matt Patterson, with Rebecca Malpica producing our digital marketing/social media.

In addition, thank you to Cannabis Wire for contributing our cannabis news. You can now get 30% off a subscription to Cannabis Wire by going to CannabisWire.com and using discount code: CWJOINTSESSION

Please contact us at herb.jointsession@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments, including topics to cover.

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