Loudpack Exotics, the first Black-owned cannabis dispensary in Onondaga County, held its grand opening to the public on Friday. Owner Jonathan Maxim shared the challenges he faced in getting the dispensary up and running. Years ago, Maxim turned to cannabis to help alleviate his mother’s pain, leading him down a path of buying and selling weed, which eventually got him arrested and cost him his job at the Syracuse City School District. After turning his life around with a transportation business, Maxim now owns Loudpack Exotics. He expressed his difficulties in dealing with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) due to the newness of the industry and the delays in license processing. Maxim reached out to OCM leaders through social media to inquire about his application status and shared his concerns about the delays in the licensing process.

The OCM utilizes a queue system that randomly processes applications for review, emphasizing that queue order does not guarantee licensure. Maxim criticized the rollout of the system, stating that it took nearly two years for his application to progress, which he deemed unfair. Dewitt Town Board Member Bishop H. Bernard Alex echoed Maxim’s sentiments, expressing frustration with the lengthy and challenging process of entering the cannabis business in New York. Despite over 500 licenses being issued in the state, less than 100 dispensaries are operational. Governor Hochul has acknowledged the flaws in the system and vowed to implement changes. Alex emphasized the need for a thorough review of the existing system to address the delays and challenges faced by aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs in New York.