New York regulators are months away from launching the legal sale of cannabis. Over the past year, the responsible parties have prepared the laws and prepared the ground for this launch.
Last week theOffice of Cannabis Management (OCM) released a regional breakdown of possible dispensaries, showing the number of licenses that would be granted by area.
The OCM says it will award up to 150 licenses in 14 regions across New York State. Larger boroughs such as Manhattan and Brooklyn get more licenses and, therefore, are likely to have more outlets.
The region with the most room for licenses is Manhattan, with 22 licenses in total. Close behind are Long Island and Brooklyn, with 20 and 19 permits respectively. Other highly populated areas like Queens and the Bronx follow with 16 and 10 licenses each.
The OCM is currently preparing to issue CAURD licenses (Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary) to applicants, which are those granted to persons already convicted of possession or trafficking of cannabis.
CAURD licenses will be the first licenses to be provided to the public, with the aim of benefiting those who have been most harmed by the criminalization of cannabis.
“CAURD licensees are positioned to make the first legal cannabis sales in New York before the end of 2022, accelerating investment in New York State communities that have been impacted by the disproportionate application of the prohibition of cannabis”, can we read on the official website of the MCO.
The application process is meant to be simple and financially accessible, requiring no outside help from lawyers or other parties.
“The main purpose of the CAURD license is to create opportunities for New Yorkers most affected by cannabis prohibition,” said CMO spokesperson Aaron Ghitelman.
“Part of this is granting up to 150 CAURD licenses to individuals who themselves or close family members have had eligible cannabis-related offenses in the past and have interests in profitable businesses” , reportedly added Ghitelman.
New York was expected to begin accepting applications to open dispensaries by early September, with the goal of having affected businesses up and running by the end of 2022.
