Dear New Yorkers:

Here at the Office of Cannabis Management, we’re all about keeping our roots firmly planted in our mission for equity, required by the MRTA blueprint. We’ve been busy bees: rolling out new draft adult-use home grow regulations, expanding licensing to make sure our budding market is accessible to a diverse group of entrepreneurs, and sharing market updates for New Yorkers to understand who we are from seed to current bloom.

We invite you to dive into the HIGHlights of this month:

Cannabis Control Board (#NYCCB) February 16th Meeting Recap:
AU Licenses Awarded – A Look at the Stats: The #NYCCB approved the first round of adult-use cannabis licenses from the 2023 licensing applications.
In total, 109 licenses have been issued; within this group, 38 are new retail dispensary licenses, along with the first 26 microbusiness licenses.
Equity in Bloom: Over 66% of all adult-use (AU) licenses issued have been awarded to social and economic equity-owned businesses.

Veteran Spotlight: 14% of the licenses were allocated to service-disabled veterans.
Supporting Conditional Licensees: 45% of licenses awarded to transitioning entities went to conditional growers and processors, including farms owned by 10 women in New York.
Cannabis Research Licenses:

The #NYCCB has approved the first two cannabis research licenses in the State. The Office encourages studies that research the chemical composition, agricultural production, and therapeutic benefits of cannabis.

How to Apply: For those interested in applying for a cannabis research license, visit https://cannabis.ny.gov/research for more information. Need assistance with your research application? Email research@ocm.ny.gov.

Landmark Dispensary Openings: OCM Celebrates the Opening of Over 75 Adult-Use (AU) Dispensaries

OCM celebrated landmark openings:

50th adult-use brick-and-mortar dispensary: Brownies in Colonie, NY, a Black, woman, veteran, and family-owned dispensary.
75th adult-use dispensary: Silk Road in Jamaica Queens, a family-owned dispensary.
Exploring Black-Owned Dispensaries: In celebration of Black History Month, our partners at Our Academy curated a guide to Black-owned dispensaries across New York. Experience the vibrant and unique contributions Black entrepreneurs have made to the #NYcannabis landscape by visiting one today.

Engaging Dialogues: Voices from the Cannabis Community
Explore our medical cannabis program through our series of engaging dialogues, starting with real-life stories in our Certified Patient Live session, insightful conversations with healthcare providers, and an educational presentation by Dr. Weinberg to clinicians. These sessions provide valuable insights and learning opportunities. Tune in to hear patient stories and provider experiences.

Cannabis Advisory Board (#NYCAB) February 27th Meeting Recap:
With New York topping $180 million in total cannabis sales in 2023, the CAB will soon be able to begin issuing these grants from the CGR Fund to community-based nonprofits and local governments. This week’s Community Grants Reinvestment Subcommittee meeting furthered the discussion of how the CAB will decide who to issue these grants to.
Building on this momentum, the CAB has proposed a tentative timeline to establish goals for the implementation and distribution of the first funds in the CGR Fund:
Mid-April: Public announcement of the CGR Fund opportunity and anticipated release date for the Request for Applications (RFA). Those interested in learning more about this opportunity shall register with the New York State Contract Reporter to receive updated notifications on available opportunities. Nonprofit organizations must also be prequalified to receive awards and may visit grantsmanagement.ny.gov/get-prequalified to learn more about registering early.

Early June: Goal to release the RFA, allowing applicants to start the application process.
October 1st: Projected deadline for applicants to submit their applications.
November/December: Anticipated announcement of the awardees, culminating the selection process for community-based nonprofits and local governments.

🌱 Rollin’ Into The Month:
Three Things You Need to Know
🌿 Home Grow Blossoms:The #NYCCB approved proposed guidelines for adult-use home cannabis cultivation, opening a 60-day window for public comment. Send us your feedback at regulations@ocm.ny.gov. These budding regulations offer a clear blueprint for New Yorkers eager to cultivate cannabis responsibly at home, detailing plant counts and harvest limits to ensure safer and regulated growth.

🧑‍🌾 Nurturing New Growth with AUCC & AUCP: This spring, existing conditional AUCC and AUCP licensees in good standing will be able to apply to a non-conditional license, with the application period re-opening mid-March. Additionally, the #NYCCB encourages businesses to explore Processor Type 3 Brand and Distributor licenses, with more details coming soon on these expanding opportunities.

🤝 Cultivating Careers – Join Our Team Through #NYHelps: OCM is making it easier to recruit top talent into positions such as Administrative Assistant, Program Specialist series, Investigative Specialist series, and Senior Attorney with no exams required. Embrace the opportunity to nurture your career in our dynamic agency, contributing to the shaping of New York’s cannabis future. Don’t wait, Find a career with us today!

🌿 Bud Safety Matters: Health & Safety
OCM’s cannabis consumption resources are crucial in the new year for safer habits and to maintain public health and safety. Check out some resources are guidelines to ensure you can purchase and consume safer and tested cannabis products:

Updated Medical Cannabis Resources: Dive into our newly updated materials, including new informative brochures for: Patients, Practitioners, Older Adults and the latest medical product form. These resources are designed to assist New Yorkers with understanding medical cannabis and how to engage with the program.

Consumer Safety Resources: Whether you’re a daily consumer or canna-curious, check out the guide to safer consumption for a 101 that will empower and educate our communities.
Dispensary Verification Tool

Dispensary Verification Tool: To make sure you are purchasing cannabis from a licensed dispensary, look for the Dispensary Verification Tool. All licensed dispensaries are issued a Dispensary Verification Tool which is posted in the storefront. Scan the QR code to be directed to OCM’s website with a list of all licensed cannabis dispensaries.
Use the Incident Reporting Form to report an adverse event, concern about a cannabis business, or concern regarding a cannabis product to the Office of Cannabis Management.

Report an Incident
Seek immediate medical attention or advice if you are currently experiencing a serious or troublesome cannabis-related symptom(s). Call your healthcare provider or the Poison Center at 1(800)222-1222.

📌 Nuggets of Wisdom:
Industry Trends & Development

NYcannabis provides opportunities for all communities to participate and thrive in this market, but don’t take our word for it. Check the stats.

Feb 2024 Market Update
🧭 Community Compass:
Municipalities & Community Board Matters
The “Community Compass” is your go-to source for the latest in local government and community board activities, keeping you informed and engaged with what’s happening with municipalities and community boards.

☎️ What Can I Do to Help New York State Close Illegal Cannabis Shops? To report suspected violations, visit New York Cannabis Incident Reporting. Include details like business name, time and location of activity, photos, any previous police contact, and proximity to sensitive locations. Provide your contact information for any follow-up questions.
Governor Hochul stood with CAURD holders at a Manhattan press conference to underscore the urgency of shutting down illicit shops that are hurting our budding industry.
Holding Big Tech Accountable: As part of her announcement, Governor Hochul is calling on tech companies to prohibit the promotion of unlicensed storefronts selling potentially dangerous products on their platforms. Social media and big tech companies have aided in the promotion of unlicensed stores and have knowingly allowed illegal storefronts to advertise online, undermining New York’s efforts to build a safe and equitable cannabis industry.
Curious about how enforcement currently works? Check it out here!
📍 Finding Licensed Dispensaries is easier than ever! Verify dispensary locations through New York Cannabis Dispensary Location Verification.

📣 What Do I Tell Adult-Use Applicants in My Community? Municipalities and Local Governments can view the OCM website to learn more about their role in the licensing process.
Post Application Process Tips
The Office has started reviewing a large volume of applications and has already issued over 350 deficiency letters to applicants. Keep an eye out for these letters via email and address any issues to expedite the processing. Remember, all updates must be made within 30-days of the notice.
🗓 Upcoming Events

The OCM is still on the road, continuing the community awareness campaign and traveling across the state to empower and encourage communities to get involved with the medical cannabis program and the #NYcannabis workforce.

📍 Thu, March 7th: Cannabis as Medicine in Ithaca: https://bit.ly/medicalithaca

📍 Wed, March 13th: Cannabis as Medicine in East Harlem: https://bit.ly/medicaleastharlem

📍 Thu, March 21st: Cannabis as Medicine in Newburgh: https://bit.ly/medicalnewburgh

📍 Wed, March 27th: Cannabis as Medicine in Brooklyn: https://bit.ly/medicalbklyn

🌱 This is #NYcannabis.
This is #NYcannabis Feb 2024

New York’s cannabis market is as lively and colorful as the community voices that energize it—here’s to growing together!

Thank you for reading!

The NYS Office of Cannabis Management

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