Hudson Valley's first adult-use cannabis dispensary opens in Orange County

The Hudson Valley’s first adult-use cannabis dispensary opened its doors Friday to welcome a bustling crowd of energetic supporters and eager customers.

“I’m humbled to have this opportunity,” said Howard Libron, owner of Orange County Cannabis Co.

“This is surreal,” continued Libron, a lifelong New Yorker and longtime Orange County resident. “I’m really happy to be in the community where I’m from, providing opportunities and jobs for my fellow community citizens.”

Following a ribbon cutting, Libron made the ceremonial first sale — a packet of Hudson Valley-based 7 SEAZ cannabis and a pre-roll — to his daughter, Shantel, who will serve as his business manager.

Tucked in a Wawayanda strip mall between a nail salon and realtor’s office, Orange County Cannabis is the 45th such dispensary to operate in New York state.

It is also New York’s 14th Black-owned dispensary and one of nine majority Black-owned, according to the New York Office of Cannabis Management.

Howard Libron, who arrived at the cannabis market with experience operating a local Subway franchise, and his daughter Shantel, a former regional manager for Rite Aid, said they are both deeply committed to ending the stigmatization of cannabis consumption.

“There is a lot more to come, but we are going to continue to celebrate,” said Chris Alexander, executive director of New York’s Office of Cannabis Management.

“This is what we envisioned — days like today,” said state Sen. James Skoufis, a Democrat from Cornwall who voted in support of the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act.

Signed into law in 2021, the MRTA legalized adult-use cannabis and created the Office of Cannabis Management and a cannabis control board to regulate the industry.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Hudson Valley's first adult-use cannabis dispensary opens for business