City of Rochester
News Release
(Tuesday, April 25, 2023) – Mayor Malik D. Evans today announced two developments on the emerging cannabis industry in Rochester today.
The Rochester Public Library has partnered with Women of Color and NY HempLab to launch the New York New York State Library of Cannabis, a website that contains information related to the emerging legal cannabis industry in New York State.
And representatives from the New York Office of Cannabis Management, the Department of Labor, and Cornell University’s Cannabis Workforce Initiative will host a Careers in Cannabis seminar, 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 26 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Lodge at MLK Park, 353 Court St. Downtown. The Careers in Cannabis workshop will include a presentation on the current status of legalization and licensing of cannabis-related businesses; workforce development programs and emerging job opportunities.
The New York State Library on Cannabis website contains information on entrepreneurship, regulations, medicinal applications, the science of cannabis, legal issues, and more.
“The legalization of cannabis is going to create a wide range of business opportunities to meet the needs of a brand new industry and its customers,” said Mayor Evans. “The information we are providing will help our residents identify those opportunities and prepare for them in this changing environment. I want to thank all the partners who are making this information available to our residents for helping us create a safe, equitable and prosperous Rochester by inspiring hope and delivering opportunity for everyone.”
“Starting any business is hard, but starting a cannabis business is unique due to the regulatory environment,” said Jennifer Byrnes, head of the Business Insight Center at the Rochester Public Library. “The New York State Library on Cannabis is an important first step in providing the information people need to operate a business as well as to find knowledgeable employees that do not have a formal education.”
Zach Sarkis, founder of NY HempLab commented, “I am very excited to co-launch this incredible community resource through the Rochester Public Library. With this partnership, we are ensuring more people will have access to the resources and tools they need to be successful in the emerging cannabis industry. Education and access to information will serve as a cornerstone for an equitable and diverse cannabis industry. We look forward to building this hub and expanding partnerships across the state for the greatest possible impact.”
Shaloma Wagstaffe, founder Women of Color in Cannabis (WOCC) stated, “WOCC is all about providing free resources to our community. Whether through our monthly informational sessions, CannaSessions, or our workforce development program, CannaCareers. This endeavor with the Rochester Public library is no different. This NYS Library of Cannabis site was created to rival any basic Introduction to Cannabis curriculum or certification program. We wanted to provide an accessible avenue to increase cannabis knowledge. Money should not be an impediment to education and in that spirit; the NYS Library of Cannabis was created. We hope to have this collection of resources accessible throughout all NYS Public Libraries.”
For more information, visit www.nysloc.org.
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News Media: For more information, contact Communications Director Barbara Pierce at Barbara.Pierce@cityofrochester.gov.