First recreational marijuana dispensary opened in the Bronx

THE BRONX (PIX11) -- Statis Cannabis Company opened a marijuana dispensary Thursday on East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. 

“Statis is the first woman-owned, minority-owned dispensary opening in the Bronx,” Co-owner Emely Chavez told PIX11’s Ayana Harry.

Chavez is new to the cannabis industry; she was previously a special education teacher. Her business partner Angel Turuseta has experience selling marijuana before it was legal. 

“The opening of the Statis Cannabis Company marks another step forward in the righting the failed war on drugs,” Turuseta shared during the grand opening.

Councilmember Marjorie Velazquez said the opening of Statis Cannabis Company is about “looking back to a world that criminalized so many people in a way that was not fair, making it right.”

When legal sales began at 4:20 p.m., Daniel Rivera was first in line at Statis Cannabis Company.

“Things have been slow with the rollout that's not been appreciated by a lot of people. Its affected a lot of consumers and a lot of retailers,” Rivera said.

There are now 17 dispensaries open across New York State, with an estimated 1,500 illegal smoke shops in New York City alone.

Gov. Kathy Hochul recently addressed the slow rollout of dispensaries.

“It’s not on the pace we want to see, but sometimes the things we're doing are not on an easy path," Hochul said.