New York regulators have approved 74 new licenses for adult-use cannabis businesses. Good news for those who applied in November 2023: only about 150 applications from that batch are still pending review, according to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM).
The new licenses granted by the state Cannabis Control Board include:
- 6 for distributors
- 10 for microbusinesses
- 39 for processors
- 16 for retailers
- 3 additional Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD) licenses
This brings the total number of licensed cannabis businesses in New York to 1,510, though not all are currently operating. As of Monday, 307 legal marijuana stores are open statewide.
The CAURD program, designed for individuals impacted by the justice system, faced legal challenges that delayed licensing for nearly a year. After settling major lawsuits in 2023, the state began accepting applications in two phases: November and December. Despite an earlier prediction that processing would not finish until 2025, it appears that the November applications are nearing completion, with only 150 remaining to be reviewed as of Friday. Leaving the December que up in the air.
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