Key Takeaways
- Your first time at a Staten Island dispensary is simple: show a 21+ photo ID at the door, talk to a budtender, pick your products, pay and go.
- NugHub accepts a driver’s license, state ID or passport, and you don’t need a medical card to shop legal adult-use cannabis in New York.
- NugHub is at 1350 Forest Ave (at Veltman, right by Stop & Shop) with customer parking in the back.
- Cash has no fee, debit and pay-by-bank run about $3, and credit or tap costs $3 plus 4%; delivery orders can’t be paid in cash.
- Adults 21+ in New York can possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate, and delivery anywhere on Staten Island is free.
Your first time at a dispensary feels like a bigger deal than it is. Maybe you haven’t bought weed since a guy named Vinny texted you back in 2009. Maybe you’ve never bought it at all. Either way, the legal version is easier than you think, and this guide walks you through every step at our Staten Island dispensary, from the ID check to the drive home.
What happens on your first visit to a Staten Island dispensary?
Show a 21+ photo ID at the door, tell the budtender it’s your first time, choose your products, pay, and head home with everything sealed.
A first visit at NugHub goes like this.
- The door. Someone checks your ID before you’re in. Everybody gets carded, every time, even if you look like you’ve been smoking since the Koch administration.
- The greeting. A budtender (the person behind the counter who knows the menu) says hello and asks what you’re looking for. No appointment needed. While you wait, check out the mural: the Verrazzano, the ferry and the block where our partners grew up.
- The conversation. Say it’s your first time. Tell them how you want to feel, whether you’d rather smoke, vape or eat it, and what you want to spend.
- The menu. They pull products for you to look at. You can’t open the packages, but you can ask about smell, strength and what other customers keep coming back for.
- Checkout. You pay at the counter and your products go home sealed.
Our staff are long-time smokers from the neighborhood, and nobody’s going to make you feel dumb for asking what a pre-roll is. If you want the shopping list version, our first-time buyer’s guide goes deeper on what to try, and what to expect your first time at a dispensary covers the basics for any shop in New York.
What ID do you need at a Staten Island dispensary?
Any valid government-issued photo ID that shows you’re 21 or older: a driver’s license, state ID or passport. You don’t need a medical card.
New York’s adult-use program is for adults 21 and over, according to the NY Office of Cannabis Management (OCM = Office of Cannabis Management, the state agency that licenses and regulates legal cannabis). You don’t need a doctor’s note, a registration or a medical card to shop.
A few things to know before you leave the house:
- Bring a physical ID. A photo of your license on your phone won’t cut it.
- Everyone in your group gets carded, so anyone coming in with you needs their own 21+ ID.
- The same ID check happens at your door if you order delivery.
Where do you park, and how do you get to NugHub?
NugHub is at 1350 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10302, at Veltman Ave right by Stop & Shop, with customer parking in the back.
The parking lot is the thing people miss. It’s around back, and plenty of first-timers circle Forest Ave looking for a spot on the street before they find it. Pull around and save yourself the hassle.
No car? The store sits near the Staten Island Railway and SBS and local bus routes. Coming from Manhattan, take the Staten Island Ferry to St. George and connect to the Staten Island Railway or a bus from there. Driving from Brooklyn, you’re a straight shot across the Verrazzano and the Staten Island Expressway (I-278).
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 8am to 10pm |
| Friday and Saturday | 8am to 11pm |
| Sunday | 10am to 10pm |
What’s on the menu, and what should a first-timer buy?
Start with one pre-roll, a 2.5 to 5mg edible, a small amount of flower, or a disposable vape, and let the budtender narrow it down from there.
The menu covers flower, pre-rolls, edibles, vapes, concentrates, tinctures, topicals and drinks. That’s a lot to take in on a first visit, so most people start with one of these four.
| Product | How it hits | Good first amount | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-roll | Smoked, felt within minutes | One single pre-roll, shared or a few puffs at a time | A classic joint without rolling anything |
| Low-dose edible | Eaten, can take up to four hours to kick in | One 2.5 to 5mg piece | Smoke-free, longer-lasting nights in |
| Flower | Smoked or vaped, felt within minutes | An eighth (3.5 grams) | Picking by smell and trying different strains |
| Disposable vape | Inhaled, felt within minutes | A couple of small pulls | Low smell, no lighter, easy to carry |
Pre-rolls are the easiest yes: light one and you’re done. Our picks for the best pre-rolls in New York are a good place to start.
Edibles are where first-timers get surprised. Legal edibles come in clearly labeled servings, and they take their time, so eat one piece and wait. Our NYC edibles survival guide breaks down timing by product.
Flower is for people who want to smell the jar. Ask the budtender to show you two or three strains side by side: one bright and citrusy, one earthy and gassy, one sweet. Your nose will tell you a lot.
Good questions to ask at the counter:
- What do people come back for most?
- What’s fresh this week?
- Which of these hits fastest, and which lasts longest?
- Can I see the lab results? Every legal product comes with a certificate of analysis, and we buy based on it. Here’s how to read a cannabis COA.
Do Staten Island dispensaries take credit cards?
NugHub does: credit or tap runs $3 plus 4%, debit or pay-by-bank about $3, and cash has no fee. Delivery orders can’t be paid in cash.
Card processing costs more in cannabis, so most shops nudge you toward cash or debit. Here’s what each method costs at NugHub.
| Payment method | Fee | Works for in-store? | Works for delivery? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | No fee | Yes | No |
| Debit card or ATM | About $3 | Yes | Yes |
| Pay by bank (ACH through Dutchie) | About $3 | Yes | Yes |
| Credit card or tap to pay | $3 plus 4% | Yes | Yes |
Taxes are part of the price of legal weed in New York. The state charges a 9% retail excise tax and a 4% local excise tax on adult-use sales, per the OCM’s tax rules.
Every purchase earns rewards points, and we never take back points you’ve earned. We also run a referral program and rotating discounts for veterans and first responders. Check the current specials before you come in.
How much cannabis can you buy in New York?
Adults 21 and over in New York can possess, and leave a dispensary with, up to 3 ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate, per the OCM.
Three ounces is a lot of weed. For perspective, that’s about 24 eighths. A first visit isn’t going to get anywhere close.
| Product type | New York possession limit (21+) |
|---|---|
| Cannabis flower | 3 ounces |
| Concentrated cannabis (vapes, wax, rosin) | 24 grams |
Those limits come straight from the OCM’s adult-use rules. Bringing cannabis into or out of New York is illegal, so don’t plan on taking it across the bridge to New Jersey.
Can you smoke at the dispensary or in your car?
No. You can’t consume inside the store or in any vehicle, parked or moving. It’s legal at home and where tobacco smoking is allowed, except parks.
The OCM’s rules are clear on this:
- In the store: No consumption on site.
- In your car: Keep it in a closed container. Opening packaging or smoking in a vehicle is illegal, even parked in our lot.
- In public: Legal where tobacco smoking is allowed, but not in parks and other public outdoor spaces covered by New York’s 2022 law, and not on federal property.
- Driving: Driving high is illegal and can get you a DUI.
For a block-by-block breakdown, read where you can smoke in NYC.
How does same-day weed delivery work on Staten Island?
Order online, pick a 2.5-hour delivery window, track your driver live, and show your 21+ ID at the door. Delivery anywhere on Staten Island is free.
Not up for the trip? Plenty of our regulars never leave the couch. Delivery goes like this:
- Shop the full menu online.
- Choose a 2.5-hour delivery window.
- Get live updates as your driver heads over.
- Show your 21+ ID at the door and pay by card or bank (no cash for delivery).
Delivery anywhere on Staten Island is free, from Tottenville to St. George, and most orders go out the same day. We also deliver to Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and western Nassau
County, with fees and minimums shown at checkout. Full details are on our Staten Island delivery page.
Prefer to skip the line? Order online and reserve for express pickup at the counter.
How can you tell a dispensary is actually licensed?
Look for the OCM dispensary verification sign in the window and check the store on the OCM’s official list. NugHub’s license is OCM-CAURD-24-000183.
Staten Island still has plenty of smoke shops selling weed without a license. Those products skip New York’s testing and labeling rules, while a licensed dispensary sells tested, labeled cannabis you can trace.
Two quick checks:
- Look for the OCM’s dispensary verification tool posted in the window. Licensed stores display it.
- Search the store on the OCM’s list of licensed dispensaries.
NugHub got one of New York’s early licenses through the state’s social equity program. Our founders grew up on Staten Island, and the store exists so people here could finally buy weed legally without looking over their shoulder. As they put it in their own words: “There’s nothing wrong with responsible adults getting high and enjoying themselves.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a medical card to buy weed on Staten Island?
No. Adult-use dispensaries like NugHub sell to anyone 21 or older with a valid government-issued photo ID. A medical card isn’t required.
Can I go into a dispensary just to look?
Yes. Come in, show your ID, look around and ask questions. There’s no pressure to buy on your first visit.
Can I bring a friend who’s under 21?
No. Everyone who comes in gets carded, so everyone in your group needs a valid ID showing they’re 21 or older.
Can I order ahead and pick up?
Yes. Shop the menu online, reserve your order and pick it up at the express counter in the store.
Do Staten Island dispensaries take credit cards?
NugHub does. Credit and tap payments carry a $3 plus 4% fee, debit and pay-by-bank run about $3, and cash has no fee.
Is delivery free on Staten Island?
Yes. NugHub delivers anywhere on Staten Island for free, usually the same day, in 2.5-hour windows with live tracking.
Ready to come through? Find directions, hours and today’s menu on our Staten Island dispensary page.
