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Sohan Bashar is the owner of Silk Road NYC, an adult-use cannabis dispensary. He answered eight simple questions for NY Cannabis Insiderās āPeople to knowā series.
What is your position and what do you/your company do in the cannabis space?
My position is an Adult Use Retail Dispensary owner, and operator of Silk Road NYC — I am also the sole financier behind the business. Our mission is to offer a diverse range of cannabis products to meet the varied needs of our customers, while also contributing positively to the community and the industry by advocating for responsible use and the benefits of legal, regulated cannabis. We are committed to embracing diversity and inclusion, and strive to ensure marginalized voices are heard. To ensure this, we partner with a private event space to hold educational activities. These events are geared towards the community members and designed to build a better foundation around cannabis knowledge so the community is better informed.
How long have you worked in the cannabis space?
Iāve been involved in the cannabis industry before the term ācannabisā became the norm, back when it was called āweed,ā ātreez,ā or āreggie.ā With 20 years of cannabis experience under my belt, primarily in wholesale but starting in retail at the age of 13. After witnessing the revolution of the industry, I unknowingly became a part of the culture that would shape the future of cannabis. Iāve seen the evolution of cannabis culture long before ācannabis cultureā. Hearing ātreez, treez, treez, sour, sour, sourā echoing down Jamaica Ave. was iconic. My background is rooted in a time when the industry thrived in the shadows, yet was acknowledged with openness in places like Jamaica Ave. amidst a community that was most impacted by cannabis prohibition, particularly targeting people of color. This history fuels my commitment to fostering a more equitable and inclusive cannabis space today.
What did you do before you were involved in the cannabis industry?
Before I was involved in the cannabis industry I was a child. I just want to make it clear that I do not endorse the use of cannabis by individuals under the age of 21. I was exposed to cannabis at a young age and I am 33 years old now. My journey in the cannabis industry began over two decades ago, navigating the streets of Jamaica, Queens. I was introduced to cannabis at 11 years old, I took a few puffs and didnāt feel much in the beginning but remembered feeling worry free and laughing a lot. I was smoking weed everyday by the age of 12. Despite my early and frequent use of cannabis, I maintained a strong commitment to my education. I took pride in my studies, which paid off when I received a full scholarship to Stony Brook University. I also tutored locally in Jamaica, Queens, ensuring my recreational habits and hustle never distracted me from reaching my full potential. For me, cannabis was a tool that helped propel me faster toward my goals, allowing me to position myself financially not having to work harder but smarter.
What led you to the cannabis industry?
What led me to go legal is Iāve consistently held a vision of success for myself. I started street retail when I was young. Eventually I got my weight up and began supplying wholesalers, selling them five, 10, 20 pounds at a time. That turned into moving boxes (hundreds of pounds) at a time. I began to feel the weight and responsibility as the well being of people and their families depended on my actions in the legacy market. The pressure intensified after legalization, with the proliferation of smoke shops. This stress reached its peak following the birth of my daughter in March, 2022. Her arrival played a huge role in my choice to transition into the legal market. The decision aimed to relieve my wife and I from the constant need to watch our backs and address the uncertainties associated with operating in the black market. The shift became not only a professional necessity but a personal commitment to provide a safe and more stable future for my family.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to get into the NY weed industry?
For anyone looking to enter the New York cannabis industry, my biggest piece of advice is to be yourself and stay authentic. The New York cannabis community is incredibly welcoming yet discerning; many of us come from the streets or have backgrounds similar to mine, making it a bit of a vibe check for newcomers. Itās essential to approach this community with your true intentions clear and upfront.
Donāt allow anyone to exploit you. Financial literacy is crucial in navigating this industry successfully. Thereās a wealth of knowledge and support within the community if you know where to look. Resources such as On the Revel, NYCRA, This Is Our Dream, Cannabis NYC, High Exposure, KCode, and Ask Me Anything about cannabis legalization with Jeffery Hoffman, to name a few, are invaluable. They all offer insights, guidance, and networking opportunities.
Lastly, staying informed and connected is key to success in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry.
What do you think the NY cannabis ecosystem will look like in five years?
I like the question and I like using the word ecosystem to describe what has been going on. Before we think about what happens five years from now, we need to think about what happened in the past five years.
Five years ago the ecosystem was great. In my opinion things were centralized. Everyone who sold weight waited for their connects who were willing to risk their capital to send and receive packs. The retailers under them had a nice supply chain and everyone would wait for their connect. This kind of ecosystem supported wholesalers who supplied retailers and delivery services up until a couple of years ago when things became legal.
When it became legal, it became decentralized. Everyone all of a sudden wanted to sell weed, nobody wanted to wait. They started going to the illegal smoke shops which caused more smoke shops to open which worsened the problem. Now that CAURD licenses are opening up, it is changing the ecosystem with delivery services and retailers opening every few days.
We can replace smoke shops and take a good amount of the market share back from the black market. In five years I see all this balancing out with the customer being way more aware of NY brands and way less interested in out of state brands. By then, the ecosystem will be centralized again by the state. The retailers and delivery systems will be supported by AUCC and with AUCP supplying us, they should be able to market the product to the public and make our jobs easier as the retailer.
Iām also hoping to see a deeper integration into mainstream society — that the stigma surrounding cannabis will continue to diminish , leading to broader demographics. With a societal shift more research will unlock a deeper understanding of its benefits and potential applications in wellness.
Do you use cannabis? If so, whatās your favorite method and why?
My favorite method is definitely dabs, because I like to medicate really quickly and feel the effects as fast as possible. I donāt want to smell combusted weed and I want to be able to control my dosage accurately. With dabs, I can accomplish all of that. It can be intimidating at first because of the equipment needed and the process of heating the concentrate but I feel with a little practice, dabbing becomes a preferred method for its efficiency and cleanliness.
Who should contact you, and whatās the best method?
We are actively working to enhance awareness about the benefits of purchasing legal cannabis and we are keen on getting our community more involved. If you are a cannabis educator, advocate, or anyone passionate about partnering with us to help dispel the stigma surrounding cannabis use, please reach out. We believe collaboration is key to driving change and would love to hear from those who share our commitment to education and advocating for a more informed and accepting society when it comes to cannabis. You can reach out to our Instagram page @silkroad.nyc and our website silkroadnyc.com you can also call our store 347-233-3879.