Push to Codify Social Equity-Centered Conditional Cannabis Licenses Unfolding

By Brendan J. Lyons

Feb. 1, 2024

The conditional licensing program created by the state Office of Cannabis Management has been targeted in several lawsuits
Legislation that would codify New York’s conditional cannabis licensing program, which prioritizes applicants with prior drug convictions, is gaining traction this year and has allegedly received support from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration, according to members of the New York Cannabis Retail Association.

The conditional licensing program created by the state Office of Cannabis Management has been targeted in multiple lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of prioritizing retail cannabis applicants with prior marijuana convictions — a goal that was not included in the 2021 state statute that legalized marijuana but added later by regulators.

“Our understanding is that leadership in the governor’s office and the Legislature have been in conversations about how to solve the (conditional licensing) problem and we’re hopeful that something’s going to get introduced fairly soon,” said Vincent N. Marrone, a lobbyist for the Cannabis Retail Association. 

Britni Tantalo, president of the Cannabis Retail Association, said their organization and others have had meetings with the governor’s administration and legislators about how to address problems with the state’s retail cannabis rollout — an effort that has been beleaguered with setbacks, including legal challenges, and hampered by competition from a flourishing unregulated market. 

“We’ve experienced numerous delays from lawsuits against the state for not properly enacting the conditional adult use retail dispensary program into statute,” Tantalo said. “So, due to this weakness, it’s put our industry in a situation where it has (effectively) shut it down. … think we’ve caught enough attention to show the urgency to (the Office of Cannabis Management) and our state Legislature that this has to happen immediately.”

The governor’s office declined to comment and the Office of Cannabis Management said it does not comment on pending legislation.

Read the full article at the Times Union.