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New York State now accepting applications for first adult-use cannabis retail dispensary licenses

Cannabis
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NEW YORK (WKBW) — New York State is now accepting applications for the first adult-use cannabis retail dispensary licenses.

"The license, called the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license, is a key pillar of the New York State Seeding Opportunity Initiative. Through the 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, and those first sales will be made with products grown by New York farmers," a release from the Office of Cannabis Management says.

According to the OCM, applicants must: 

  • Have a conviction for a marijuana-related offense 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 conviction for a marijuana-related offense in the State of New York.   
  • Have experience owning and operating a qualifying business that has been profitable for at least two years.

The application portal for a license will be available on the New York State Business Express website and will close on September 26, 2022.  

“Today marks the opening of the CAURD application window. From Brooklyn to Buffalo, Montauk to Plattsburgh, we are building something different in the Empire State. We’re launching a cannabis industry with individuals who suffered and we’re directly impacted by the unjust prohibition of cannabis. We are leading with justice-impacted entrepreneurs because NY is committed to restoration and reinvestment. And the entrepreneurs that will be granted licenses are poised for success because of their business experience and the host of supports that will be afforded through the Seeding Opportunity Initiative. Thank you, Governor Hochul for creating the Seeding Opportunity Initiative and re-affirming New York’s commitment to making sure the first sales are conducted by those harmed by prohibition.”
- Tremaine Wright, Chair of the Cannabis Control Board

Below you can view a timeline provided by the OCM on the licenses:

  • March 2022 - the Cannabis Control Board voted to issue proposed regulations for the CAURD licensees for public comment.
  • May 2022 - The public comment period closed.
  • July 2022 - The Cannabis Control Board approved the final rules and regulations for the CAURD licensing program.