For the past few years, we have been hard at work building Northern Legacy, a locally owned cannabis dispensary designed to serve the 1000 Islands and greater North Country. As the retail arm of our homegrown cultivation company, Excelsior Genetics, our goal is simple: to provide a safe, regulated, and premium retail experience that reflects the spirit of the region.

The Challenge: The Regulatory Bottleneck

While our facility is ready and our team is eager to begin, we have hit a bureaucratic wall. We—along with dozens of other applicants for Micro-licenses and graduates of the state sponsored CCTM (Cannabis Compliance & Training Mentorship) program—have been caught in a systemic state hold that's come to be referred as the "December Queue." These specific license types and the CCTM program were originally championed by New York State to ensure local, craft operators had a fair shot.

However, despite meeting every regulatory requirement, an entire wave of small-scale New York operators has seen their processing put on indefinite hold due to extensive administrative delays at the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). As a result, large, out-of-state conglomerates have been able to leverage their vast resources to bypass the law's original intent, capturing the early market while local operators are forced to wait. These procedural bottlenecks aren't just affecting Northern Legacy; they are stalling the growth of local economies across the state. We believe that dedicated local businesses shouldn't be held back by administrative red tape when the community is ready for progress.

Lend Us Your Voice

We aren't looking for a fight; we’re looking for a seat at the table. If you want to see a locally-owned, professionally-run dispensary open in our region, we need your help. By signing this petition, you are sending a clear message to state regulators that the 1000 Islands community:

• Desires safe, local access to regulated cannabis products from proven New York genetics.
• Supports local entrepreneurs who are ready to create jobs and keep revenue right here in the North Country.
• Wants to see the 1000 Islands continue to grow as a modern, vibrant destination for residents and vacationers alike.

Your signature isn't just a vote for Northern Legacy; it’s a vote for the right to choose local and a call for the state to honor the path they created for small businesses. Help us show the OCM that our community is ready to welcome the next chapter of the 1000 Islands economy.

Let’s get the doors open.