Last year, New York State changed the cannabis game when it made weed legal. Not since Prop 64 put Cali on the map had marijuana legislature got so much attention.
Well, New York continues to stand out. State Governor Kathy Hochul recently put pen to paper for a conditional cannabis cultivation bill. When passed, some hemp farmers in the state can start growing as early as the coming spring.
According to the folks in Albany, conditional licenses are going to speed up New York’s adult-use cannabis program and help farmers. The jump start to issuing licenses is expected to help launch the state’s planned adult-use program. The governor has promised the bill will include provisions for inclusion, equity, and environmental sustainability.
The governor said, “I am proud to sign this bill, which positions New York’s farmers to be the first to grow cannabis and jumpstart the safe, equitable and inclusive new industry we are building. New York State will continue to lead the way in delivering on our commitment to bring economic opportunity and growth to every New Yorker in every corner of our great state.”
The licenses will be conditional, allowing farmers to grow in a greenhouse or outdoors for at least two years after issuance. Farmers will also be able to manufacture and distribute cannabis flowers without a distributor or adult-use license until June 2023.
The bill will:
• Restrict cultivators to one acre of outdoor flowering or 25,000 square feet of greenhouse space.
• Use of up to 20 artificial lights.
• Allow a split of greenhouse and outdoor cultivation with a max canopy total of 30,000 square feet; but only if greenhouse flowing stays under 20,000 square feet.
To be eligible for the conditional license, applicants must be an authorized industrial research partner, recognized by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Applicants must have no less than two years of the past four years in good standing with the agency as of December 31, 2021.
Eventual license holders will need to participate in a social equity mentorship program. Training will include cannabis cultivation and processing for economic and social equity partners. The goal is to prepare all licensees for roles in the industry.
Growers also have to meet requirements for sustainability so that cannabis gets grown in eco-friendly manners.
Currently, you can only snag some weed through a licensed medicinal program. New York recently expanded medicinal eligibility with new registration and certification systems. With that launch, practitioners can certify you for medical marijuana for any reason they see fit. The privilege to prescribe will also expand, allowing dentists, midwives, and podiatrists, to name a few, to give patients medicinal marijuana.
The state has also warned anyone reportedly providing cannabis as a “gift” by offering a second paid product or service risk losing a license in the future. The act is illegal and state officials continue to warn that anyone engaging in “gifting” could face criminal charges and substantial fines.
New York’s Office of Cannabis Management is working on the license application process with the intent of launching the cannabis industry program as soon as possible.
