New York has issued more than 400 adult-use cannabis licenses so far this year as the state begins to counteract the slow rollout that resulted in the proliferation of unlicensed dispensaries throughout the state.
On April 12, the state Cannabis Control Board (CCB) announced it had issued 101 adult-use licenses, including microbusiness, cultivation, processing, distribution, and dispensary
In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) described the progress so far this year as “significant.”
“Strengthening New York’s equitable cannabis industry and ensuring the hard-working small business owners operating in the legal market have the licenses to open are the best way to protect the integrity of sales in New York.” — Hochul in a press release
The CCB last week also approved a resolution empowering the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to issue provisional adult-use cannabis licenses, intending to expedite the licensing process.
In a statement, CCB Chair Tremaine Wright said the resolutions “represent a significant milestone” in the agency’s “efforts to establish a robust and responsible adult-use cannabis market.”
Last month, Hochul ordered an audit of the state’s cannabis program amid delays and rampant unlicensed sales. For the review, the governor tasked Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner Jeanette Moy and other state officials to embed with cannabis industry regulators and identify ways to speed up cannabis licensing and further optimize OCM.
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