The City by Rosalind Adams
The abrupt cancellation of the state cannabis licensing board’s meeting on Wednesday has left hopefuls for weed businesses fuming.
LakeHouse Cannabis CEO Paul Suits Jr., who learned of the cancellation on Tuesday evening sent to the Office of Cannabis Management a two-page document describing his frustrations in trying to obtain a dispensary licence. He had intended to read these remarks aloud during the state Cannabis Control Board’s meeting.
In October, Suits applied for a retail licence to sell in Cortland (New York), close to Syracuse. According to the criteria of the state, he was a “priority applicant” for a dispensary licence because he had a retail shop that he could convert into cannabis sales. The entire buildout is done, but the cannabis has not yet been delivered.
He said, “The only thing that we lack right now are the employees. We don’t even have a license.”
The state has changed its communication about the number of priority licenses that it will award, and how they will be awarded. This has caused confusion for Suits and for hundreds of other applicants with locations already ready. Priority application closed on November 17 but the state has yet to award any licenses.
In his comments reviewed by THE CITY, he said: “You must understand what it feels like to be in our shoes.”
In an interview with Suits, he said that the Office of Cannabis Management (the agency working with the board) had misled him and other applicants into believing they were on the fast track to opening up. He said that the Office of Cannabis Management, which works with the board, had led him and other applicants to believe they were on a fast track to starting up. “There are hundreds like us with locations ready to go and the state is fumbling the balls.”
The agenda of the meeting was only three licenses for proposed dispensaries. It was published on the website, but later removed. On the agenda of the cancelled meeting, there were 10 other pending licensees. These included cultivators, small producers and “microbusiness” companies.
The first signs of trouble appeared late on Tuesday afternoon. Adam Perry, a member of the Cannabis Control Board wrote in an e-mail obtained by THE CITY that the meeting was canceled on the orders of Governor. Kathy Hochul (D).
Perry wrote: “The Governor requested that we cancel tomorrow’s meeting. No meeting tomorrow.”
The Office of Cannabis Management informed the public at around 8 pm on Tuesday that the scheduled meeting for Wednesday 1 p.m. would be cancelled. OCM stated in a press statement that the board decided to delay the meeting until the end of next month so they could finalize the review of applications under consideration. A future date for the meeting has not yet been announced.
The press release stated that “while we have a number of licenses approved, we still need to finish many more to kickstart New York’s marijuana market in 2024.” “We want as many licenses to be issued as quickly as possible.”
“A lot of problems”
A spokesperson for the Office of Cannabis Management texted a message saying that Hochul did not cancel the meeting. That was the responsibility of the Cannabis Control Board.
Perry has not responded to any requests for comment.
Jason Gough is a Hochul spokesperson who referred THE CITY back to the Office of Cannabis Management’s statements.
The CITY was contacted by several people in the cannabis industry of New York who expressed concern about the state’s decision to cancel the meeting.
Joe Rossi is the director of cannabis lobbying at Park Strategies. “We need public debate,” he said, referring specifically to the time for public comments at board meetings.
Other people told THE CITY they saw the cancellation of the meeting in January as just the latest example of state dysfunction.
Jeffrey Hoffman, an attorney in New York who practices cannabis law, said: “We were all very excited to be able to give out licenses.” “The list of licensed retailers only had three stores when the state’s constant refrain has been that we need more shops.”
Hoffman added: “We’ve got a lot more problems than solutions.”
The legal cannabis program has suffered repeated setbacks over the past three years. A suit last summer stopped all dispensaries opening for several month last year. New York has only 53 licensed cannabis dispensaries, despite the fact that more are opening in the state following a agreement signed in November. The number of unlicensed shops in New York City has increased to thousands.
Office of Cannabis Management publicly called for more retail stores. The Cannabis Control Board convened a meeting on the last Friday in December to allow a medical marijuana provider to open a store for the public.
The meeting revealed tensions between Chris Alexander, the OCM executive director and the board.
Jennifer Gilbert-Jenkins is a member of Cannabis Control Board. She said that she was confused as to why the board had a meeting so late in the calendar year, after having already met in December. “There was a push to hold another meeting this week that I only learned about last night. “I’m on holiday with my family,” said she. What’s so urgent that I have to be here now?
Alexander, visibly frustrated, said later: “We need to open more dispensaries. We’re working on it.”
Jayson Tantalo is one of the founding members of the New York Cannabis Retail Association. This trade group advocates for dispensary licensees, and those who are interested in becoming licensed. He still does not have his own license.
He has a secure location, just like Suits. Tantalo first applied for a license as part of a special program launched by the state to give the first licenses out to those with past drug convictions, and their families. But he never got one. He applied again to be part of the group that was given priority for those who already had locations.
We have a rental agreement. I pay extra every month to renew the lease. Tantalo asked THE CITY, “When will they process the applications?” “We don’t know.” “It’s their decision.”
Tantalo told us he pays $13,000 per month for a storefront in Victor, a town near Rochester.
The City was told by Suits that they will not give up on their quest for retail licenses.
Suits said, “We are still in it for now.”
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This article was originally published by THE CITY.
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The post New York Cancelled Marijuana Board Meeting at Governor’s request, email suggests appeared initially on Marijuana Moment.
