WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Green Philosophy 716 is an established state-licensed hemp retail store in West Seneca.

President and double board-certified physician Dr. Jackie Schneider said she became interested in cannabis because it helped her husband deal with post-traumatic stress disorder when traditional western medicine failed.

"We kind of said, ‘well how do we get in this space? Because it's helped us and it's helped others, so let's help Western New York,’" Schneider said.

She said the goal was always to expand to a full adult-use retail cannabis dispensary. Schneider said they applied with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) in October but have been preparing for roughly two years. 

"I was really scared," she said. "We've been paying rent for a long time and I was scared that we would never get to the finish line based on our number in the lottery and the queue."

On Friday, OCM moved forward with a wave of approvals, including Green Philosophy's application. Aaron Van Camp, the owner of Western New York's first dispensary, said it's good for the industry.

"It's going to bring a better product to the market," he said. "It's going to allow people more access and a lot of people need licenses."

Van Camp, who has a conditional license, said he is exploring opportunities to expand his brand with several of the new licensees, including Greenside Cannabis and an unnamed partner planning to open in Amherst. He said his business, Dank, would lend its name and retail model, similar to franchise-type models some downstate dispensaries have used. 

"We're hoping to have Dank pop up more not only around this area, around the state in the near future through partnerships and through things that we've done through interacting with the community," he said.

Schneider said while the wait has been frustrating, she does think there are benefits to how the state has set up the industry to allow small businesses into the market.

"If we were in Florida or if we were in really, honestly any other state, people like me and people, really the ones that are open in New York, they would never be able to hit this market," she said.

Schneider said Green Philosophy is for the most part ready to transition to a cannabis dispensary, but plans on making some security enhancements and needs a state inspection before it can launch.