(WNY News Now) – An unlicensed cannabis dispensary owner in Canandaigua faces hefty penalties after defying state regulations and operating without proper authorization.
New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a $9.5 million judgment against George West, owner of the unlicensed cannabis dispensary Jaydega 7.0 in Ontario County. The ruling follows West’s disregard of a June 2023 notice from the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to cease his illegal operations.
West, who ran his dispensary from Main Street in Canandaigua, continued selling cannabis despite repeated warnings. After an administrative inspection by the OCM, it was confirmed that West had been operating without a license since at least September 2022. The inspection led to the seizure of over 200 pounds of cannabis products. OCM later discovered that West had generated nearly $2.4 million in sales revenue from June 2022 to October 2023.
Despite being ordered to stop operating, West persisted in selling cannabis until OCM and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) obtained a court order in November 2023, which forced the closure of Jaydega 7.0. In addition to disgorging over $1 million in illegal profits, West is now required to pay $8.4 million in penalties for continuing to sell cannabis after receiving the order to cease operations.
“The owner of Jaydega 7.0 refused to follow the law and ignored repeated warnings to stop selling cannabis without a license,” said Attorney General James. “Today, George West must pay $9.5 million for violating our laws and hurting local communities. Stores that sell cannabis must abide by rules and regulations just like any other business in New York.”
New York’s Cannabis Law imposes steep fines for operating without a license. Businesses caught selling cannabis illegally face penalties of $10,000 per day, and those who continue operating after receiving a cease-and-desist order face daily fines of $20,000. Revenue-based penalties can also be levied, depending on the volume of unlicensed sales.
Attorney General James thanked the OCM for their efforts in enforcing the state’s cannabis laws. This is not her first victory against illegal cannabis operations—earlier this year, she secured a $15.2 million judgment against the owner of seven unlicensed dispensaries in upstate New York.
This case was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Soo-young Chang and Joel J. Terragnoli, under the supervision of Assistant Attorney General Christopher Boyd in the Buffalo Regional Office.
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