Following a lengthy legalization process, cannabis dispensaries will be a reality by year’s end, according to state officials.
Seven applicants were approved for the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license in the Long Island region, with 36 statewide out of a pool of over 900 applicants.
Twenty-eight individuals and eight nonprofit CAURD licenses made up the 36.
Earning a CAURD license completes New York’s cannabis market supply chain, as designed in the Seeding Opportunity Initiative of March 2022. The Governor Hochul-introduced initiative focuses on creating equity in the marketplace for those belonging to groups disparately impacted by cannabis enforcement.
The state plans to grant up to 175 licenses on a rolling basis to individuals and nonprofits.
According to the Office of Cannabis Management, to be eligible for the currently approved, applicants were required to either have had a cannabis conviction themselves, or be the family member of someone who has, and have owned a profitable business.
Nonprofits were eligible if they had a history of serving current or formerly incarcerated individuals, including creating vocational opportunities for them; have at least one justice-involved board member; at least five full-time employees; and have operated a social enterprise that had net assets or profit for at least two years.
Over the last 30 years, Black New Yorkers were 15 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than white New Yorkers. For Latinos, it was eight times more likely. Accordingly, the majority of the license awardees announced today are people of color.
“Today is a monumental day for New York’s nascent cannabis industry. With the first adult-use retail dispensary licenses in the hands of businesses and eligible nonprofits, we’ve ensured the first sales will be made at dispensaries operated by those impacted by the unjust enforcement of cannabis prohibition,” said Tremaine Wright, Chair of the Cannabis Control Board. “This is just the start; we will continue to work to build an industry that is open to anyone who wants to participate. Many thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul and her unwavering support as we all work to make sure New York has the most equitable and inclusive cannabis industry in the nation.”
The reverberations of the recent licenses won’t be felt equally throughout the state. Many jurisdictions have opted out of permitting sales.
Since its legalization, the state has worked on creating a stable supply chain and ensuring only those 21 years or older are able to obtain the substance. Dispensaries will not be able to use third-party delivery apps to prevent underage consumption.
