Editorial Guidelines
How we report, review, rate and correct — and how we keep our sponsor at arm's length.
These guidelines explain how The Bronx Cannabis Free Press reports, reviews, rates, corrects and handles money. They apply to every article, review, index rating and newsletter we publish.
1. Who we serve
Adults 21 and older in and around the Bronx. We write for consumers, not for the industry. When a story's interests conflict — a shop, a sponsor, a source — the reader wins.
2. Sourcing and verification
- Primary sources first. Licensing facts come from the NY Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) license data and verification tool; law from the statute, OCM guidance and NYC Health Department materials; enforcement from official releases, court records and on-the-record reporting.
- Original reporting. We report from primary records, public meetings and official statements — we don't rewrite other outlets' stories.
- Second read. Every story is fact-checked by our standards editor or a second editor before publication.
- Dates matter. Hours, prices and rules change. We show published and updated dates and re-verify evergreen guides regularly.
- No invented quotes or composites. We don't fabricate people, quotes, visits or experiences — ever.
3. Social media and community sources
We monitor Reddit, X, Facebook groups and Instagram to understand what the Bronx is talking about. We don't quote or name private individuals from social posts without permission; we summarize recurring themes and verify any factual claim independently. Public officials' public posts may be quoted and linked.
4. How we review dispensaries
Full reviews score six categories from 1–5, averaged to an overall score:
- License & compliance — verified active OCM license; posted verification; lab-tested, properly labeled products.
- Menu depth — categories and brands offered, including New York-grown brands.
- Value & deals — published specials, first-time offers, loyalty programs.
- Access & convenience — transit, hours, pickup, delivery, accessibility.
- Customer sentiment — patterns across third-party review platforms (we weigh sample size).
- Community — local hiring, equity ownership, neighborhood involvement, verified where possible.
We state the basis of every review. We don't accept free product in exchange for coverage, and businesses can't pay for a score or remove a review.
5. The Cannabis Friendliness Index
Index scores (1–5) rate how well a place suits a responsible adult's slow day: vibe, munchie value, late hours, access to a licensed dispensary and transit, and practical rules (crowds, kids, strictness). Ratings never imply that a venue permits or endorses cannabis use; we flag where consumption is prohibited by law. Places are re-checked for closures regularly.
6. Independence, sponsorship and conflicts
- Our presenting sponsor is Buddiez, a licensed Bronx dispensary. Sponsorship covers operating costs and brand recognition (the sponsor ribbon, sponsor boxes and its dedicated page).
- Sponsors do not see, edit or approve content before publication, and have no influence on ratings or story selection.
- Stories that mention our sponsor carry a disclosure. Our sponsor's review uses the same rubric as every other shop.
- Staff may not accept gifts over nominal value from businesses we cover, or hold a financial interest in a business they cover.
7. Harm reduction and legality
We cover legal, adult-use cannabis. We don't promote unlicensed sellers, don't publish content aimed at minors, and include safety context: start low with edibles, don't drive impaired, keep products away from kids and pets, and know the rules about where you can consume. Nothing we publish is legal or medical advice.
8. Bylines, staff and AI
Every story carries a byline linked to a staff profile listing the writer's beat. We may use software tools, including AI, to help with research, transcription, data work and first drafts; a human editor reviews, fact-checks and takes responsibility for everything we publish. We don't publish AI-generated images as news photos.
9. Photos
We use our own photography, images licensed under Creative Commons with attribution, and images supplied by businesses (labeled as such). See photo credits.
10. Corrections and updates
We correct errors quickly and say what changed. Minor fixes (typos) are made silently; substantive corrections get a dated note on the story and a line in our corrections log. Email newsroom email.
11. Feedback
Disagree with a rating or a story? We want to hear it: contact the newsroom.