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St. Lawrence County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

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Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in St. Lawrence County?

Licensed medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation in St. Lawrence County is legal. The cultivation of medical cannabis and its use by medical cannabis cardholders was legalized by the Compassionate Care Act, signed in the State of New York in 2014. On March 21, 2021, adult-use cannabis and its cultivation in the state was legalized by the enactment of the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), which became Chapter 7A of the Consolidated Laws of New York.

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), created by the MRTA, regulates and licenses both medical and adult-use cannabis across the state. The Cannabis Control Board first approves the regulations and licenses for medical and adult-use cannabis businesses.

A medical cannabis cultivation company in St. Lawrence County can only operate with a medical cannabis registered organization license from the OCM. The licensee is then also authorized to manufacture medical cannabis products and then sell by retail to medical cannabis cardholders.

An adult-use cannabis cultivation company in St. Lawrence County can only start operating with a “registered organization adult-use cultivator processor distributor retail dispensary license” from the OCM. The license comes with the authority to manufacture adult-use cannabis products and then sell by retail to consumers aged at least 21.

Separately, applications for the adult-use conditional cultivator license (AUCC) were opened, from March 15 to June 30, 2022, exclusively for the licensed hemp cultivators of the Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program. AUCC licensees are permitted to cultivate and manufacture adult-use cannabis and its products only until June 30, 2024. The OCM issued 284 AUCC licenses as of June 14, 2023, with four located in St. Lawrence County.

The OCM Guidance for Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators gives the following options for licensed cultivators:

  • Indoor cultivation only, for a maximum cannabis flowering canopy of 25,000 square feet
  • Outdoor cultivation only, for a maximum cannabis flowering canopy of 43,560 square feet or one acre
  • Combined indoor and outdoor cultivation, with a maximum indoor flowering canopy of 20,000 square feet and a maximum outdoor flowering canopy of 10,000 square feet

The home growing of medical cannabis is permitted in the State of New York only for medical cannabis cardholders who are 21 years old and older. They may cultivate medical cannabis for personal use in their primary private residence that is not located on federal land. Each cardholder may grow a maximum of three immature and three mature medical cannabis plants. If more than two qualified medical cannabis cardholders reside in the same home, they cannot grow more than six immature and six mature medical cannabis plants. All home cultivators must comply with the OCM’s Medical Cannabis Home Cultivation Guide and Personal Home Cultivation of Medical Cannabis Regulations.

From June 2024 onward, adult-use cannabis home cultivation will also be allowed in the State of New York for residents aged at least 21. That date falls 18 months from when adult-use cannabis retail sales began on December 29, 2022. By that time, adult-use cannabis home-growing regulations must have been drawn up. Municipalities are not allowed to prohibit the home growing of cannabis by qualified adults once this is implemented. The regulations will be the same as those for the home cultivation of medical cannabis.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in St. Lawrence County?

Licensed medical and adult-use cannabis product manufacturing in St. Lawrence County is legal in accordance with the State of New York’s Compassionate Care Act and the MRTA. As discussed above, holders of the OCM medical cannabis registered organization license are authorized to manufacture medical cannabis products, while holders of the OCM “registered organization adult-use cultivator processor distributor retail dispensary license” are authorized to manufacture adult-use cannabis products.

In addition, applications for the adult-use conditional processor license (AUCP) were opened, from June 28 to August 31, 2022, solely for the Cannabinoid Hemp Program’s licensed hemp processors. AUCP licensees are authorized to manufacture adult-use cannabis products only up to June 30, 2024. The OCM issued 40 AUCP licenses as of January 23, 2022, with none located in St. Lawrence County.

The OCM’s Adult-Use Conditional Processor Terms and Conditions and Guidance states that only the following forms of adult-use cannabis may be manufactured by AUCP licensees:

  • Cannabis flowers and shakes
  • Concentrates
  • Tablets
  • Beverages
  • Edible products
  • Topical products
  • Pre-rolls
  • Capsules
  • Vape pens or cartridges
  • Tinctures
  • Other products
  • with OCM approval

Any edible form of adult-use cannabis is prohibited from looking similar to snack food or candies that are sold commercially.

Any adult-use cannabis product must have a maximum terpene content of 10% unless the Cannabis Control Board has issued written approval for exemption. One serving of any adult-use cannabis product intended for oral consumption must not exceed 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content and there may only be a maximum of 10 servings in one package. On the other hand, the maximum allowed THC content of adult-use cannabis topical preparations and tinctures is 1,000 milligrams. The labeling and packaging of all adult-use cannabis products must be in compliance with the Cannabis Control Board’s regulations.

Qualified home cultivators of medical cannabis are also allowed to process their medical cannabis at home, but the use of butane, propane, and alcohol in doing so is prohibited. The same rules on cannabis home processing will apply to the home cultivators of adult-use cannabis once they are allowed to start cultivation.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in St. Lawrence County?

Licensed selling of medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products by retail in St. Lawrence County is legal as mandated by the Compassionate Care Act and the MRTA of the State of New York. The selling of medical cannabis and its products is allowed only to medical cannabis cardholders, while the selling of adult-use cannabis and its products is allowed only to individuals aged at least 21.

The MRTA allowed municipalities to opt out of adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries, as well as adult-use cannabis consumption sites. Hence, as of July 10, 2023, the following nine municipalities of St. Lawrence County opted out of adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries:

  • Town of DeKalb
  • Town of Brasher
  • Town of Fowler
  • Town of Hammond
  • Town of Hopkinton
  • Town of Madrid
  • Town of Norfolk
  • Village of Hammond
  • Village of Heuvelton

Again, the same medical cannabis registered organization license from the OCM, as discussed previously, grants the authority to sell medical cannabis and its products to medical cannabis cardholders. Each cardholder may be sold only a 60-day supply every 60-day period, though. These may include any combination of cannabis plant parts and flowers, oral sprays, lozenges, tablets, transdermal patches, vaping cartridges or pens, oral powders, capsules, tinctures, and others. Medical cannabis cardholders who are qualified for medical cannabis home cultivation may also be allowed to purchase cannabis seeds and immature cannabis plants.

The previously discussed OCM “registered organization adult-use cultivator processor distributor retail dispensary license” grants the authority to sell retail adult-use cannabis and its products to consumers aged at least 21. Additionally, the OCM issues the conditional adult-use retail dispensary license (CAURD), and the adult-use cannabis on-site consumption license, both authorizing the holder to sell adult-use cannabis and its products by retail to qualified consumers.

The purchase limit of consumers aged at least 21 is equivalent to the adult-use cannabis possession limit in the State of New York. This means three ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of cannabis concentrate, or cannabis products with the equivalent cannabis content.

Not earlier than 270 days and not later than 30 days before submitting their application to the OCM, applicants for an adult-use cannabis dispensary license must notify the municipality where they want to be located. The OCM issued 15 final CAURD licenses as of June 20, 2023.

The Guidance for Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries has the following rules:

  1. A licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary must be at street level and open directly to the street.
  2. It cannot be on a street that has a church, school, or community center.
  3. It must be more than 500 feet from any school.
  4. It must be more than 200 feet from any church or community center.
  5. It must be more than 1,000 feet from another licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary if the municipality’s population is 20,000 or more.
  6. It must be more than 2,000 feet from another licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary if the municipality’s population is less than 20,000.
  7. It must be open only from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., except if a municipal ordinance extends its business hours.
  8. It can only sell adult-use cannabis and products that licensed adult-use manufacturers are allowed to produce, in addition to cannabis paraphernalia and items with OCM approval.
  9. It must issue a receipt with every sale.
  10. It must have an inventory tracking system to log all stocks and their movements.
  11. It must have prior OCM approval before offering drive-through or pick-up lane services.
  12. It must have a strong security system with recorded video surveillance and alarms to prevent theft and intrusion.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in St. Lawrence County?

Licensed medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis product delivery in St. Lawrence County is legal as stipulated by the State of New York’s Compassionate Care Act and the MRTA.

Medical cannabis registered organization licensees are authorized to deliver to medical cannabis cardholders their purchased medical cannabis and medical cannabis products. “Registered organization adult-use cultivator processor distributor retail dispensary” licensees are authorized to deliver to consumers aged at least 21 the adult-use cannabis and products they purchased. CAURD licensees may also do the same provided they comply with the OCM CAURD Delivery Guidance.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in St. Lawrence County

To get a medical cannabis card, St. Lawrence County must be found to have any of these qualifying illnesses by a qualified medical practitioner:

  • Huntington’s disease
  • Dystonia
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Intractable spasticity from spinal cord nerve tissue damage
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Cancer
  • Neuropathies
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Epilepsy
  • Autism
  • Pain that causes health degradation
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
  • Substance use disorder
  • Medical conditions deemed eligible by the health practitioner

The medical practitioner will send the physician’s certification through the Health Commerce System (HCS) to the Medical Cannabis Data Management System (MCDMS) and provide the patient with a copy.

The patient must follow the online patient registration instructions and submit the required documents digitally. Up to five caregivers may be designated by each patient and all caregivers must register online once the patient’s application has been approved. A digital medical cannabis card will be shown on the registry and may be used temporarily after printing while awaiting the mailed physical card.

Inquiries may be made through the following:

Phone: 888-OCM-5151 (888-626-5151)

Email: medical@ocm.ny.gov

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of St. Lawrence County?

A 7% excise tax is levied by the State of New York, payable by medical cannabis registered organizations on all their sales of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products. This tax cannot be charged to purchasing medical cannabis cardholders.

Adult-use cannabis is taxed in the following manner:

  • Licensed adult-use cannabis cultivators and manufacturers are taxed $0.03 for every milligram of THC contained in edible cannabis, whether in food items or beverages.
  • Licensed adult-use cannabis cultivators and manufacturers are taxed $0.008 for every milligram of THC contained in cannabis concentrates.
  • Licensed adult-use cannabis cultivators and manufacturers are taxed $0.0005 for every milligram of THC contained in cannabis shakes, flowers, and pre-rolls.
  • Licensed dispensaries are charged a 9% state excise tax for every cannabis item sold.
  • Licensed dispensaries are charged a 4% local excise tax for every cannabis item sold.

St. Lawrence County will receive 25% of the total local excise tax earned, while the larger percentage will go to the municipality where the licensed dispensary is located.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in St. Lawrence County

Medical cannabis was legalized in St. Lawrence County in 2014, but it was only in 2016 that medical cannabis and medical cannabis products were sold in licensed dispensaries. Adult-use cannabis, meanwhile, was legalized in 2021.

Data sent by the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office to the Crime Explorer page of the FBI shows that in 2013, a year before the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 22 marijuana possession arrests and no marijuana sales arrests.

In 2015, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there were three marijuana possession arrests and one marijuana sales arrest, totaling four marijuana offense arrests.

In 2020, a year before the legalization of adult-use cannabis, there were seven marijuana possession arrests and no marijuana sales arrest.

In 2021, the latest data showed one marijuana possession arrest and no marijuana sales arrest.

The DUI arrests in those years were as follows:

  • 2013: 32 arrests
  • 2015: 35 arrests
  • 2020: 17 arrests
  • 2021: 43 arrests