While the Garden State and Land of Steady Habits are convincingly in the lead of the tri-state dash towards adult-use cannabis sales, new legislation passed last week at least gives the Empire State a burst of energy.
There has been much anticipation since the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act legalized cannabis in New York for adults last year. But only medical patients in the state can legally purchase products right now. New York’s slow start to recreational sales has reportedly led to even more unregulated products flooding the marketplace, including delta-8 THC — which is banned under NY state law though widely being sold throughout the state.
By Governor Hochul signing Senate Bill 8084A into law on February 22, 2022, the legal cultivation, processing, and distribution of cannabis in New York should be accelerated. Specifically, the new legislation permits hemp cultivators and processors to apply for growing and processing adult-use cannabis, and aims to promote certain equity goals in the process. It creates two new temporary license categories: (1) conditional adult-use cultivator licenses; and (2) conditional adult-use processor licenses. These licenses must be issued by December 31, 2022, and will be valid through June 30, 2024.
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