New York cannabis regulators increase the number of recreational licenses and tweak rules | How to buy weed online

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The New York marijuana regulators added 123 permits on Tuesday to the state’s licensed cannabis market. They also made some notable changes to the business rules. For example, a potential zoning variation that would allow dispensaries in densely populated metro areas such as New York City to open closer together.

According to an Office of Cannabis Management market update, legal marijuana sales have already topped $590 millions in 2024. They are expected to double by the end of this year with 185 dispensaries operating and many more on the way.

Tremaine Wright (chairwoman of the New York Cannabis Control Board) said at the beginning of the meeting, “We are continuing to adapt to this evolving cannabis market.”

The CCB has signed off on:

• New Retail Permits: 26
• 24 microbusinesses
• 19 cultivators
• 15 distributors
• 39 processors
• 5 Provisional Retail Permits

OCM staffer Patrick McKeage stated that the approvals brought the new total of licenses for recreational marijuana issued this year up to 951.

McKeage said that the board also denied several dozen license applications, including three applicants who were found to be selling marijuana without a permit, and two storefronts which were padlocked closed for illegal sales.

He said that the board and office had repeatedly communicated the message that participating in the illegal market would prevent you from obtaining a license on the legal regulated markets. “There are serious consequences for running an illegal dispensary, and they go beyond enforcement.”

Sales continue to increase

John Kagia, OCM Policy Director, told the CCB that New York’s legal marijuana sales in 2024 will reach $590.7 million. This included August sales of $97.2 million, a record monthly figure that Kagia described as “a very, extremely significant jump” over the $68.8 and $74.1 million sold each month in July and June.

He also noted that the first two weeks of sales exceeding $20 million were both in the second half of August.

Kagia stated that sales have really increased since the state of New York and the New York City Crackdown The spring was the first time that unlicensed sales were prohibited. Some shops that had been in business for 16 weeks or more saw a 97% rise in sales.

He said that the enforcement drive has led to an increase in sales of about $5 million per weekly on the legal market.

Kagia said that the fact that the company is generating over $20 million in retail revenue each week, and we expect 21 more doors to open in the next three weeks, puts it in a very, very good position for a successful year-end. “Even if stayed where we are, that would put us in a position to double what we have generated so far this season,” Kagia said.

“We are very, very optimistic about our outlook for this year,” he said. “For anyone who thought that there wasn’t a lot of momentum in this market given some of the initial challenges, I’m extremely happy with the trajectory our retail sales.”

Policy changes

The CCB has also begun accepting requests for location changes from business license applicants, including retailers who need to relocate due to the “proximity buffer” zone of at least 1,000 foot between licensed stores. The board approved 14 of these relocation requests, and opened the door for more.

The board also approved a new rule in connection with proximity protection that allows licensed shop owners to request a “public benefit and advantage” request which could nullify a 1,000 foot buffer zone. Many dispensary applicants have cited the zoning setback rule and proximity protection rule as a Major hurdle In finding compliant real property on which to house their stores. Kagia stated that the OCM has given “proximity” protection to 1,026 dispensary locations.

Kagia warned that the rule will not be in effect for at least two months, as it must go through a public comment period of 60 days. He also said that the proposed regulation changes are not meant to eliminate the 1,000-foot buffer zone for most licensees.

“These PCA waivers were designed to be an exception to the proximity rule and not the rule. This is not a standard approval that every licensee will be able to obtain,” Kagia said.

The OCM licensing team has also announced a $5 million grant program for CAURD licensees who need financial assistance. Tabitha Robinson, an OCM staffer, said that while the new program is still accepting applications, it will soon award up to $35,000. This money can be used to help pay rent, renovate, purchase retail hardware, or install security systems.

The grant program will run by Empire State Development a private partner of OCM. Robinson said ESD is still looking for a third-party grant administrator. Proposals are due on September 16th.

Staff at the OCM said that seed-to-sale track is also in the works. It won’t take long before the entire supply-chain is required to use BioTrack, a private inventory tracking system contracted with the state. Kagia said that companies upstream will need to purchase tracking tags from BioTrack. The OCM will offset this cost with $250,000 in subsidies.

Feedback is a wide spectrum

As per usual, the CCB was also bombarded with complaints from a number license holders who were unhappy with the performance of the industry.

Crystal Peoples-Stokes was the first guest speaker, a guest from Albany and one of the primary sponsors of the state law that legalized recreational cannabis in 2021. Peoples-Stokes praised the CCB, OCM and regulators for their “amazing” work.

“It’s a disaster. It’s actually one of the best things happening right now in America or the world. Peoples-Stokes, speaking of the New York cannabis rollout, said that no one else could match these numbers. Kathy Hochul, Governor of California, laments. Kathy Hochul Early this year,

The other extreme was Jeanette Miller. She caused a stir last year when she appeared in a CCB gathering with a noose wrapped around her neck, to represent how hard cannabis farmers had been hit by different market forces. Miller listed the various problems that farmers faced before telling the CCB about a colleague who had committed suicide.

“We literally rolled out this industry on our backs, and people are still dying.” Miller said: “I came here, I’ve been here a year, and I said a very serious thing then.” He then claimed that a 22-year old man who was both a friend and a “part of my company” had committed suicide.

“He’s dead now. Miller told the CCB, “He’s dead now.”

Other speakers from industry told the CCB that they “bleed money” while they wait for OCM to respond to their permit applications.

“We are operating in other states.” We know how the game works and this is very slow,” said High Wire Farms’ spokesman, who is part a November retail application pool still being reviewed.

Wright thanked the stakeholders for sharing their stories and acknowledged the pain they had experienced.

She promised that “it will not fall on deaf ear.”