Social equity advocate, businessman, and former NJ cannabis prisoner Mario Ramos opened the CONBUD dispensary location by Yankee Stadium in the Bronx in New York recently.
You can drive in an hour when it’s not rush hour, depending on where you live in North Jersey, across the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee in Bergen County.
“This is like real reparations giving back to the people,” CONBUD CEO Coss Marte said at the ribbon cutting.
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He noted he used to buy weed nearby.
“We did prison time for this shit. Now we can sell this shit legally and have fun and med our people the right way,” Marte declared.
“You have no idea what it is to be in that cell and just even think about being here,” Ramos declared. “Follow your dreams, it’s not a joke.”
He noted his parents and family were there for the celebration.
“You have no idea how hard it was,” Ramos added. “Years of ups and downs.”
“We love cannabis. I love cannabis. I love you guys. I’m so happy!” he exclaimed to cheers.
NYC Night Life Office Executive Director Jeff Garcia also attended the ribbon cutting and was happy to see the success of Latinos in the cannabis industry
Ramos expressed his gratitude and vision for the location.
“Standing in the Bronx, so close to where I grew up just across the river, and opening a dispensary that embodies the ideals of justice, equity, and community is truly humbling,” he explained.
CONBUD Dispensary Opens by Yankee Stadium
The opening had a great party scene with many family members and friends there to celebrate the occasion. Brand ambassadors for 40 Tons and Dank were among the companies promoting and explaining their products.
The place had a great vibe that was fun and warm, with some of Ramos’ graffiti art hanging while the cannabis culture was celebrated.

Quality Cannabis Products for Sale
Like many quality dispensaries in Jersey, it had a bud bar where you could see and smell the cannabis flower types they had for sale.

The dispensary by Yankee Stadium in the Bronx had a few brands available in Jersey dispensaries as well like Piff Coast Farms, Rove, and Camino.
The dispensary showcased cannabis products from legacy, queer, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, highlighting its commitment to diversity and representation.
Many of the cannabis brands for sale at the CONBUD dispensary by Yankee Stadium were also locally owned.
Notable Staff
Notably, Danny “Danko” Vinkovetsky, formerly of High Times and North East Leaf Magazine, is working there as Head of Cannabis Education. He previously worked with Ramos at High Times on their cannabis cups.
Danny jokingly noted that his old scale to weigh weed from back in the day, along with books here wrote, are in a glass display case, almost like a museum.

Ownership Background
CONBUD is a social equity-owned NY Cannabis Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD, pronounced like Card) license.
The store is a partnership between longtime underground legacy operators Marte and Ramos. Both are from New York City.
It is the 3rd location of CONBUD. They say they are the world’s first dispensary owned and operated by formerly incarcerated people. CONBUD has a type of franchise business model, which is one method to help minority owners succeed with some help. They first opened on the Lower East Sode and the other side of the Bronx.
“Partnering with CONBUD was a natural choice. We share a commitment to making cannabis a force for good. We’re turning dreams into reality,” Ramos said.
According to a release, CONBUD said it is dedicated to reducing recidivism rates of former prisoners going back to jail and empowering justice-impacted communities.
Since the company is owned by Hispanic social equity underground legacy to legal individuals, they are the Goldilocks. That means many in New Jersey would like to see people like them succeed in the cannabis industry.
The Jersey Ties of Mario Ramos
After getting caught in Jersey, Ramos developed deep ties to the state. Once freed, he lived in Jersey City. While doing so, he was an advocate for the Last Prisoner Project, which championed his cause along with home grow legalization.
Ramos is also a proud alum of All Hallows High School, located nearby. He joked he wrote a pro-cannabis essay in high school back in the day and is amazed this moment has come. Ramos has a deep personal connection to both the neighborhood, cannabis, and CONBUD’s mission. He is a passionate graffiti artist at heart. Ramos spent 16 years in the U.S. Navy and Marines Corps.
In addition, Ramos has been a speaker at the Real Cannabis Entrepreneur conference in Newark.
He is still trying to open a dispensary in New Jersey as well despite the many problems that face conditional license holders.
Many want to go big in at least one other state growing, making, and selling cannabis or sell their shares and go home.
(Ramos was the MC of our underground legacy to legal forum panel full disclosure.)