New York State is slowly moving towards the decriminalization of recreational cannabis. It’s one of the most hotly contested topics of recent years: is cannabis decriminalization a good thing or a bad thing? In this blog, Meredith DeLuca takes a deeper dive into the ways legalization could positively affect the Buffalo Niagara region; specifically, how it could boost our local tourism industry.

by Meredith DeLuca

The 716 could potentially raise millions of tourist dollars if recreational cannabis use was legalized

Recently, a new Marijuana Decriminalization Law took effect reducing possession penalties and punishments for smoking cannabis in public in New York. Recent surveys also show that support for legalization is at all all-time high. While this is a step in the right direction, it raises a question: why not just decriminalize cannabis altogether? If marijuana was completely decriminalized for recreational use, what would be the economic benefits, if any?

In this article, I’ll specifically discuss the ways in which legalization of marijuana could improve and boost the tourism industry in Buffalo Niagara.

More Tourists

The most obvious way to increase tourism is to gain more tourists. (Duh, right?) If cannabis were to be legalized, it would make the 716 a boom town for pot-curious travelers from near and far. In Colorado for example, cannabis tourism has risen more than 50% since 2014. According to its Department of Revenue, Colorado welcomed roughly 6.5 million cannabis tourists in 2016! This is proof that legalization can create a spike in tourism. If cannabis were to become legal in New York State, Buffalo Niagara could benefit significantly from the rise in tourists and the money they spend in the area while visiting.

Compete With Canada

While Colorado provides an interesting case study, we can actually look closer to home to see the benefits of legalizing marijuana. Weed is legal in Canada for recreational use. And while we love Niagara Falls, NY, perhaps legalizing marijuana could make this side of the waterfall a more enticing choice for travelers. For some visitors debating on what side of the Falls to stay, marijuana legalization might just be the factor that tips the scale. The taxes collected from legal sales of marijuana to tourists would support local public programs that would allow WNY to compete with our neighbors to the north when it comes to being a bonafide cannabis-friendly destination.

Cannabis tourism has spiked in places like Colorado by more than 50% since 2014, with roughly 6.5 million cannabis tourists in 2016

Pot-Friendly Hotels

Just because weed is recreationally legal somewhere doesn’t always mean that it’s legal to toke-up in public. For that reason, if marijuana were to become legal in WNY, it would be dope to have pot-friendly hotels. Imagine a hotel where you can smoke in your room, the spa, and the bar. Cannabis Air in Toronto is a luxury cannabis-friendly hotel and the first luxury hotel in the world to offer smoking lounges. A hotel like this could definitely work in Buffalo Niagara as well. These bud and breakfast joints can oftentimes charge more money because people are willing to fork over some extra dollars in order to smoke in peace. Pot-friendly hotels would boost the local economy, bring extra tourists, and create a multitude of new jobs for the area.

Craft THC Beverages

The craft beverage scene has been booming in recent years in Buffalo Niagara. It seems like a new brewery opens up on the daily. So imagine the endless craft beverage possibilities if recreational marijuana was legalized. THC infused sodas, wine and beer exist in places where marijuana is legal and there’s no reason why they couldn’t boost our local economy as well. Imagine the pub crawls that could take place if marijuana beverages were a thing. I’ll drink to that!

Come on – anyone who doesn’t see the potential for cannabis-infused pizza in Buffalo Niagara must be smoking something

Cannabis Cuisine

It’s no secret that WNY is known for its amazing food. From traditional local fare, like wings and beef on weck, to decadent fine dining, the food scene in the 716 is a delicious excuse for any tourist to visit. So in a world where cannabis is legal in WNY, chefs and restaurants could create entire cannabis-infused menus. New restaurants with a sole focus on cannabis cuisine could open. Just think of how good THC-infused wings would be! Foodies from all over the country and the world would rush to WNY to try these new marijuana masterpieces. Entire foodie tours could be created to showcase the best of these marijuana menu items. And all of these new endeavors would bring tourists and their dollars to boost the economy.

Just the tip of the iceberg

While most of these ideas are merely pipedreams for now, the chance for recreational marijuana legalization in New York is better today than ever before. And when the day arrives where cannabis is able to be used freely by adults, the impact on our local economy will be a positive one. With the potential for new hotels, bars, restaurants, and tours, comes new jobs and more opportunities for tourists to visit and boost our local economy. Some people may be skeptical of these changes, but at Welcome 716 we have high hopes and appreciate the potential of this budding industry and the positive economic impact it could bring to our local tourism industry.

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