New York Takes Another Step Toward Completing Its Cannabis Program: Retail Dispensary Licenses Available This Month

The NY Office of Cannabis Management announced it will begin accepting applications for Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses starting on August 25, 2022. The application window will close on September 26, 2022.

“This announcement brings us to the precipice of legal, licensed cannabis sales in New York State (...) With the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, New York has affirmed our commitment to making sure the first sales are conducted by those harmed by prohibition,” said Tremaine Wright, chair of the Cannabis Control Board.

“We’re writing a new playbook for what an equitable launch of a cannabis industry looks like, and hope future states follow our lead.” 

For more detailed information, have a look at this YouTube video. 

Through the New York State Seeding Opportunity Initiative, "New York’s first legal adult-use retail dispensaries will be operated by those most impacted by the enforcement of the prohibition of cannabis, who will make the first sales of adult-use cannabis in New York with products grown by New York farmers," reads the official announcement.

Eligibility & Useful Information To Apply

Prospective Qualifying Business applicants must:

• Have a marijuana-related offense conviction that occurred prior to the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act (MRTA) on March 31, 2021, or have had a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, or dependent with a pre-MRTA marijuana-related offense conviction in the State of New York.  
• Have experience owning and operating a qualifying business. 

In March 2022, the "Cannabis Control Board voted to issue proposed regulations for the CAURD licensees for public comment. The public comment period closed on May 31, 2022. On July 14, 2022, the Cannabis Control Board approved the final rules and regulations for the CAURD licensing program."  

Social Equity & New York's Cannabis Licenses

“In just two weeks my team will start accepting applications for adult-use retail cannabis dispensaries. This is a monumental step in establishing the most equitable, diverse, and accessible cannabis industry in the nation,” said Chris Alexander, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management. “We’ve worked to make this application as simple as possible for all interested applicants, and I cannot emphasize it enough that you do not need any legal expertise to fill this application out.”

The NYS Office of Cannabis Management tweeted the following on August 11.

"Did you hear? Cannabis in NY is here and in just 2 weeks, you will have the chance to apply for your own cannabis adult-use retail dispensary license, CAURD," 

Last year, when New York legalized marijuana, the state pledged to repair the damage caused by cannabis prohibition and ensure equitable access to the economy by providing automatic expungement of past marijuana convictions, community investment of 40% of tax revenue from sales into impacted communities and social equity in licensing.

As part of that effort, New York Governor Kathy Hochul pledged $200 million to support social equity petitioners.
Image by Benzinga