BUSINESS

Irondequoit CBD shop shut down, 'illicit cannabis' seized by state

Portrait of Kayla Canne Kayla Canne
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

An Irondequoit shop specializing in CBD and kratom products has been shut down after allegedly selling cannabis without a state license.

State inspectors from the Office of Cannabis Management ordered the closure of Acadia Canna & Kratom on East Ridge Road on June 6, according to a violation notice taped in the shop's window. Most of the information on the notice was faded and unreadable, but another sign indicated state officials had allegedly seized "illicit cannabis" from the retailer.

Shelves and display cases inside the shop were mostly bare Monday.

Acadia Canna & Kratom has four other locations, including shops in Penfield, Victor and Rochester, which are not part of the closure. A call to the retailer for comment was not immediately returned.

The state Office of Cannabis Management ordered the closure of Acadia Canna & Kratom in Irondequoit for allegedly selling cannabis without a license.

Governor Hochul promises crackdown of illicit pot shops

Repeated setbacks in the licensing process of cannabis shops has led to an explosion of unlicensed dispensaries across the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans in April to overhaul the Office of Cannabis Management after calling the industry rollout a disaster.

The governor's plans included a new statewide task force to inspect and shut down illicit pot shops.

During a media briefing in Brooklyn last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul displayed photos of some of the 1,000 pounds of illicit marijuana seized by authorities as part of a crackdown on shops illegally selling cannabis without a state-issued license. Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

In June, she announced that in one month of enhanced enforcement, the task force had conducted 187 inspections, closed 114 stores and seized 3,200 pounds of illicit cannabis worth nearly $30 million.

"How do the legal businesses thrive if the illegal ones are dominating the market?" Hochul said at a June news conference.

It's unclear whether the closure of Acadia Canna & Kratom was part of that initiative.

Where can you legally buy cannabis in Rochester?

There are currently 141 licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries in New York, including four in the Rochester area:

  • Evergreen Retail in Brockport
  • MJ Dispensary in Henrietta
  • RISE in Henrietta
  • Good Life Collective in Rochester

— Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter @kaylacanne and @bykaylacanne on Instagram. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.