Why New York Needs a Cannabis Consumer Advocacy Organization Now More Than Ever

New York’s legal cannabis market is growing, but for the average consumer, the landscape remains confusing, inconsistent, and in some cases unsafe.

Legalization promised safe access and strong protections. Consumers are facing mislabeled products, unlicensed stores despite enforcement efforts, and an inversion problem that has made legal cannabis more expensive than the illegal supply. These are not minor issues. They are structural problems that directly affect the health and safety of millions of New Yorkers.

That is why we created the Green Standard Alliance.

Consumers Are Paying the Price

Legal cannabis is often more expensive than what is being sold in the illicit market. High taxes, compliance costs, and limited supply are driving up prices at licensed dispensaries. Meanwhile, unlicensed shops are selling untaxed and untested products at lower prices, creating a dangerous and unfair advantage.

Consumers who want to support the legal system are left with a tough choice. Do they pay more for something that is regulated and safe, or do they go back to what is cheaper and easier to access?

This should not be happening. A legal product should never be harder to access or more confusing to trust than an illegal one. A consumer advocacy organization can demand pricing policies and tax structures that make sense. We can call for action to close the gap before it collapses the legal market entirely.

Illicit Stores Are Out of Control

Despite efforts by the state, thousands of unlicensed cannabis shops continue to operate openly across New York. These stores sell products that are often untested, unregulated, and sometimes unsafe. They do not follow labeling standards. They do not answer to regulators. And they confuse the public, who may not know whether the store they are walking into is legal or not.

For consumers, this is not just about legality. It is about trust. It is about knowing what is in your product. And it is about making sure that the people selling it are held to real standards.

A consumer advocacy organization can help close this gap by educating the public, putting pressure on enforcement agencies, and pushing for stronger laws that protect consumers without criminalizing people in historically overpoliced communities.

Out-of-State Cannabis Is Polluting the Market

Another growing threat is the quiet flow of out-of-state cannabis products into New York’s legal supply chain. This violates the integrity of the system and undermines the entire premise of a closed, regulated market.

Recent reports and operator complaints suggest that some multistate brands, may be skirting the rules by moving California-produced products into the New York supply. This not only gives them a pricing edge, it also floods dispensary shelves with products that were not tested under New York’s standards and were not grown or processed by New York licensees.

That is unfair to local operators. And it is unfair to consumers who believe they are buying regulated, locally sourced products.

A consumer advocacy organization must shine a light on this practice. We must demand stricter supply chain verification, tighter product tracking, and real consequences for those who game the system.

Equity Must Include the Consumer

New York’s cannabis law is widely praised for its equity goals. But so far, much of the focus has been on licensees and operators. That is important, but incomplete.

Equity also means protecting the communities most harmed by prohibition from being taken advantage of in the new marketplace. That includes consumers, especially in lower income Black and brown communities, who are still being targeted by illegal sellers or priced out of legal access.

A consumer advocacy organization can push for true community reinvestment, accessible education, and pricing policies that reflect the spirit of equity, not just the letter of the law.

A Voice for the People Who Matter Most

Right now, most of the conversations in New York’s cannabis industry focus on operators, regulators, and investors. But consumers are the ones actually using these products. They deserve a seat at the table.

We believe that legalization without consumer protection is not real progress. That is why the Green Standard Alliance exists. To give consumers a voice. To demand better policies. To push for transparency, fairness, and safety.

This Is the Moment

New York is still building its cannabis system. The decisions being made now will shape the future for decades. If consumers are not organized, they will continue to be left behind.

It is time for a higher standard.

The Green Standard Alliance is here to raise it.