Grow Your Own: New York Regulators Move To Let Medical Cannabis Patients Grow Their Own Cannabis

On Thursday, New York’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) voted to file a regulation that would allow certified patients to cultivate up to six cannabis plants for their own therapeutic use.

According to the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) passed in 2021, home cultivation of medical cannabis is allowed for patients 21 years and older in the state's Medical Cannabis Program.

Likewise, designated caregivers caring for patients under 21 years of age (or incapable of cultivating for themselves), may cultivate on behalf of the patient.

Landlords retain the option of prohibiting tenants from growing on their properties.

After a 60-day public comment period starting from when the rules are published, the board will review comments, make any necessary revisions and officially file the regulations to take effect.

According to Tremaine Wright, who chairs the CCB, “The home cultivation of medical cannabis will provide certified patients with a cost-effective means of obtaining cannabis through personal cultivation,” reported Marijuana Moment.

Expungement: 

At the Thursday afternoon meeting, the Office of Cannabis Management provided an update on efforts to expunge cannabis records.

There have been 45 expungements for cases related to marijuana possession so far, wrote Marijuana Moment, though most remain “under custody or supervision for additional crimes.”  

A slide presentation at the meeting showed that "Approximately 203,000 marijuana related charges are presently being suppressed from background searches and in process to be sealed or expunged,” the slides read. “This will add to the approximately 198,000 sealing accomplished as part of the first round of marijuana expungements for the 2019 expungement legislation.”