New York is Rising Starring Jeff Schultz

In this episode, we sit down with leading cannabis attorney Jeff Schultz, Partner at Foley Hoag, to unpack the real story on New York's adult-use market—what’s working, what’s broken, and where the industry goes from here.

We cover: 

🔹 The Good:
- New York’s adult-use cannabis market is scaling fast—projected to hit $1.5–- $2B+ in 2026, up from just $300M in 2023.
- National brands like Kiva, STIIIZY, Wyld, and Heavy Hitters are thriving.
- Margins look strong

🔸 The Bad:
- Limited retail outlets, but this is changing quickly
- Licensing gridlock: Conditional licensees remain stuck due to zoning, financing, and OCM hurdles.
- High taxes: Effective rates reach up to 41%, depending on product type.

🔻 The Ugly:
- The illicit market still dominates, with thousands of unlicensed shops in NYC.
- Political and legal chaos: Lawsuits, infighting, and regulatory dysfunction are shaking investor confidence.