Former Erie County Executive cuts the ribbon on new cannabis dispensary with drive-thru

KENMORE, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra is behind a new cannabis dispensary in Kenmore that now includes a drive-thru.

Giambra is one of the co-owners of Honey Kenmore, located on Delaware Avenue in the village. Honey is one of 20 cannabis dispensaries that are licensed by the state located in Western New York. Other locations are on Indian Reservation Territory and are not regulated by the state.

On Friday, Honey cut the ribbon on the brand new drive-thru that will allow customers to have easier access to various marijuana products, though online pre-orders are required.

Honey is open daily and is located in a building that used to be a bank, and therefore has a vault for storage. Giambra says this location will cater to seniors and those with disabilities.

"There are a number of our customers who come to this store who are not able to physically get into the store," Giambra said. "This will be a tremendous convenience for them and many other customers."

Just two days ago, a vape shop less than a mile away on Delaware Avenue was raided by police and the state's Office of Cannabis Management. Witnesses said they saw police haul away a number of totes of potential evidence from the Wicked Glass Smoke Shop, which remains closed.

Giambra, who was treated for throat cancer several years ago, said he learned about cannabis during his recovery.

"Cannabis is a very important plant," Giambra said. "I became aware of the plant many, many years ago, and the properties the plant has when it comes to healing, being a cancer patient myself, years ago, I began to understand more and more the benefits of this plant. It helped me."

The state is celebrating the opening of the 200th adult-use cannabis retailer in the state near Albany. Since recreational marijuana became legal several years ago, dispensaries statewide have sold over $650 million in product.

As more dispensaries open up, the state reports that tens of millions of dollars worth of illegal product continues to be seized from stores across New York.