N.Y. cannabis regulators approve rules for retail marijuana sales, updates to medical program

ALBANY — State regulators approved rules Thursday governing New York’s soon-to-begin retail cannabis sales, ensuring the first batch of licenses will go to business owners with past pot convictions.

New York’s Cannabis Control Board gave the green light to a licensing program proposed earlier this year that prioritizes “justice-involved individuals” as well as an online application portal that will go live likely next month.

“This is a tremendous stride in the right direction,” board chairwoman Tremaine Wright said. “We’re leading with equity in this state.”

Under the new rules, applicants for the first set of the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses must prove they or a family member have been convicted of a marijuana-related crime prior to New York’s legalization of pot in 2021 and have at least two years experience owning a profitable business.

The Office of Cannabis Management will post the opening date for the portal on its website at least 14 days before the application period opens. The online application is meant to be user-friendly and the “average New Yorker can complete it independently,” Wright said.

While its unclear how large a pool of applicants will be eligible under the rules, OCM executive director Chris Alexander said it’s an equity-focused example that he hopes to see other states embrace as cannabis legalization continues across the U.S. [Read More @ NY Daily News]