BUFFALO, N.Y. — What does happy hour have to do with recreational marijuana use? The answer is: more than you may think.

“People like to relax after work, whether they do it with, you know, an alcoholic beverage, a beer or they are turning towards something that’s a lot safer for you,” said Steve McMorrow, founder of the Buffalo Cannabis Network. “It does a lot less harm to your body.”

What You Need To Know

According to data released by the state Department of Health in 2025, approximately 2 million adults are consuming cannabis in New York

Those in the industry say their businesses and network have grown as their consumer base has

Smoking is still the most popular way to consume cannabis, according to a New York state surveillance brief, but edibles and THC drinks are both on the list

Since the use of recreational marijuana became legal in New York in 2021, groups like the Buffalo Cannabis Network have grown to use it for more than just its effects.

“[People] just want to connect with others that share their love of the plant,” McMorrow said. “It really helps them medically. It helps them socially. It helps them in a lot of different ways. So we create that space of people to come in and connect with others.”

It’s space well used by McMorrow.

“I’m actually epileptic,” he said. “So I saw that as an eye-opener. Now I don’t use cannabis to treat my epilepsy, I use it more of like combating my side effects of the medicine I’m on.”

And those doors have been nonstop for people in the industry like Michael Sascassi, the owner of the cultivation brand, Sacci.

They were one of the first brands in line for licenses five years ago and since then, their company has grown because their consumer base has grown.

“At this point, we’ve gotten to like 250 dispensaries that we’re in,” he said.

And Sascassi isn’t the only one opening doors with cannabis.

“We actually got licensed in 2024 and so from there, we’ve kind of evolved into kind of like a resource center of sorts for cannabis consumers,” said Reggie Keith, CEO of Canna-House.

With flower, vapes and all different types of edibles, the list of newer cannabis products just goes on.

“It’s going to be a number of people who aren’t just married to the plant to smoke it. And the next best thing, and honestly, I think at some point might even usurp smoking, will be beverages,” said Keith, who now has his own brand of THC beverages called “Dirty Lemonade.”

Right now, smoking is still the most popular way to consume cannabis, according to a New York State surveillance brief, but edibles are a close second and THC drinks round out the list.

“I grew up in a pretty Christian-oriented family, and my aunts, and my mom even, indulges in a butter here, a cookie there, a gummy,” Keith said.

“I don’t think it’s really taboo at all anymore. I mean, maybe, it’s because I drank the Kool-Aid,” said Sascassi.