Binghamton Drive-Up Pot Shop on Hold Due to New Legal Challenge

A brother and sister from Chemung County who are ready to open a cannabis store in Binghamton are facing another delay.

Daron and Regina Driscoll of Elmira had hoped to launch the marijuana sales business with a drive-up window on Court Street just before Thanksgiving.

The Driscolls have been planning to operate Cotton Mouth Dispensary in the former A&W restaurant building on Binghamton's East Side.

An Albany construction company hired by the state dormitory authority completed renovations several months ago.

The prospective store operators believed they had cleared all regulatory hurdles and expected to receive their license from the state Office of Cannabis Management in late November.

But Regina Driscoll said a last-minute snag occurred when a judge blocked the processing of cannabis licensing applications.

According to Gothamist, a state Supreme Court justice had directed the state to halt action on pending applications. The ruling suggested New York's cannabis regulations may have been violated by the Office of Cannabis Management.

Driscoll expressed frustration by the unanticipated delay in a case that has nothing to do with the planned Binghamton store.

She noted the lease and loan documents had been signed and everything essentially was ready for the license to be officially awarded to open the business.

Driscoll is still seeking assistance and answers from state regulators. For now, she said, "it's just a mess."

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.