The New York Cannabis Control Board continued to approve more than 100 adult-use licenses per month during its July 10 meeting amid concerns that the board was “wasting its time” voting on denials.
The board approved a total of 109 licenses, including 23 cultivator, 20 distributor, 22 processor, 21 retail and 23 microbusiness licenses, of which 18 are non-retail.
Amid now-consistent approvals, the Office of Cannabis Management and the CCB have faced criticism for its slow roll out of the legal adult-use cannabis market, which officially opened Dec. 29, 2022. Since then, the agency has faced numerous lawsuits that slowed the approval process.
As of July 10, the CCB has approved 729 adult-use licenses, including 152 retail and 118 Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD), 138 cultivators, 136 microbusinesses, 94 distributors and 92 processors , according to OCM data.
Of those approved licenses, 144 retail shops have opened for business.
“We are excited to announce that we are approaching the opening of our 150th licensed dispensary in this state,” said CCB Chair Tremaine Wright.
Unlike the last few meetings, the board declined to formally vote on two sets of license denials.
Board member Adam Perry criticized the fact that the board was taking time to review and vote to deny deficient license applications. Those denials come from recommendations from OCM that the board then approves, which Perry argued was an unnecessary step in the process.
“My understanding from reading the statue, is that the board is not required, nor is it empowered to vote on denials, but only on recommendations for approvals by the office,” said board member Adam Perry. “I have asked for legal opinion on that, and no one has explained to me how the statute requires this to occur. I’m objecting to the entire process of voting on denials.”
He suggested that the board table both denials, one for a set of CAURD applicants and one for a set of retail applicants. They unanimously agreed.
“It seems that we have enough work to do,” said Perry. “I just don’t know why we’re, in my view, wasting time on this.”
Aside from licensing matters, the CCB approved a set of new regulations governing packaging, labeling, marketing and advertising. The new rules include the removal of the prohibitions against using bright colors and bubble letters on packaging. The regulations also eliminate the two-sign limit on outdoor signs and would allow product discounts and promotional deals.
“They would allow our licensees greater flexibility to compete with products in the unregulated market,” said OCM Director of Policy John Fagia, who presented the new regulations at the meeting.
OCM also provided an update in the ongoing campaign to shut down illicit shops throughout the state. Over 323 inspections by state officials have taken place, according to OCM. Those inspections have resulted in at least 4,800 pounds of seized product and 164 shops padlocked.
