Final Members of New York’s Cannabis Oversight Panel Appointed
September 23, 2021 – Governor Kathy Hochul announced two appointees to New York’s cannabis market oversight and regulatory panel on Tuesday, rounding out the panel.
Appointed were Reuben McDaniel, the president and CEO of the Dormitory Authority of New York State, and Jessica Garcia, the assistant to the president of the Retail, Wholesale Department Store Union.
“New York’s cannabis industry has stalled for far too long – I am making important appointments to set the Office of Cannabis Management up for success so they can hit the ground running,” Hochul said. “I am confident Mr. McDaniel and Ms. Garcia will serve the board with professionalism and experience as we lead our state forward in this new industry.”
Earlier this month, Hochul named former Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright of Brooklyn as chairwoman of the board, and former Drug Policy Alliance coordinator Christopher Alexander would become executive director.
The panel, which also includes legislative appointments from the state Senate and Assembly, is in charge of setting regulations for the state’s cannabis industry, including the sale of commercial retail products. The five-person board will oversee licensing, taxation and sales of cannabis products, and was created as part of the broader legalization package approved last spring. The board will have the power of issuing or revoking licenses in the industry.
Ulster County And Hudson Valley Towns Welcome Cannabis Economy, While Some Opt Out of Economic Benefits
September 22, 2021 – A major cannabis facility may be coming to Ulster County as early as spring 2022.
Cresco Labs, a vertically integrated cannabis and medical marijuana company, is planning on developing a major cannabis cultivation, processing, packaging and distribution facility in the Ellenville area.
Cresco Labs is eyeing the former Schrade knife company near Ellenville, a site which closed down 17 years ago.
Cresco Labs says the facility will employ 300 to 400 people. The facility is expected to be at least 360,000-square-feet and would include a new building for cultivation, as well as spaces for processing, packaging, distribution, and offices.
Ulster County has 400-plus farms and nearly 60,000 acres of farmland perfect for growing cannabis.
New York State towns have until Dec. 31 to opt out on allowing marijuana dispensaries or retail cannabis locations in their municipalities. The Towns of New Paltz, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh and Kingston have opted in.
Poughkeepsie has not taken any action on opting out of cannabis sales, and is unlikely to do so.
Newburgh supports allowing dispensaries and on-site marijuana consumption in the city limits.
In the Hudson Valley, the towns of Goshen, Rhinebeck, Phillipstown, Middletown, Crawford, the Village of Chester and the Village of Cold Spring have all opted out.
Cannabis Campus Flowers in Warwick
September 22, 2021 – In an ironic twist, the Mid-Hudson Correctional Facility in Orange County will be re-purposed as a center for medical/recreational cannabis cultivation and production. The facility was closed in 2011 and the 150-acre campus was sold as “surplus state property” to a Local Development Company (LDC).
Renamed Wickham Woods, there was a formal groundbreaking for Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries’ (GTI) first cannabis growing facility in New York on the former prison grounds. New York is the 15th state in which GTI has established operations.
The first phase of GTI’s buildout is valued at $60 million. When the next two phases are complete, the total investment will be approximately $150 million, and an estimated 150 to 200 jobs with benefits will be created by GTI’s, many ranging in the six-figure category. The project is expected to be fully operational by 2023.
Town of Orangetown Opts Out of Recreational Marijuana Lounges and Retail Dispensaries
On June 22, 2021, by Local Law, the Town of Orangetown has opted out of both marijuana lounges and retail dispensaries in the Town’s unincorporated areas. The decision to opt out does not affect the Villages of Piermont and Nyack. As part of the local law, the Town formally requested the Cannabis Control Board prohibit the licensing and establishment of such dispensaries and consumption sites within the unincorporated areas of Town of Orangetown.
Town of Stony Point Opts Out of Recreational Marijuana Lounges and Retail Dispensaries
At a public hearing on July 14, 2021, the Town of Stony Point opted out of marijuana retail stores. The decision was unanimous, with the caveat that the Town might reconsider after the state’s cannabis control board is formed and regulations are in place.
As there are no Villages in the municipal boundaries of Stony Point, the decision to opt out affects the entire Town.
CUNY Launches Cannabis Education Program At Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College
September 8, 2021 – Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College, part of the City University of New York, is offering a cannabis minor degree program to assist students choosing to enter the legal recreational marijuana business.
Students can now enroll in “Introduction to the World of Cannabis,” a prerequisite course for many of the other cannabis courses in this degree program. In following semesters, students can choose four courses from any of the 13 newly developed courses to earn a cannabis degree minor in one of four different tracks. These courses provide educational opportunities not only to MEC students but to all students at the other 24 CUNY campuses via e-permits. Exemplifying its core mission to provide educational workforce development and opportunities for economic expansion, MEC’s cannabis minor and forthcoming adult education program will feature the skill-building instructional support needed to foster new cannabis leaders in the areas of testing, cultivation, business, and health. Read more…
Westchester Communities Opting Out of Marijuana Lounges and Retail Dispensaries
Several Westchester communities have made affirmative decisions to opt out of allowing cannabis lounges and dispensaries within their borders, including Eastchester, Yorktown, Larchmont, Ardsley, Somers, North Castle, Mt. Kisco, North Salem, Lewisboro and Bronxville.
Dobbs Ferry and the Village of Mamaroneck have plans to review opting out this fall.
Both the Town of Mamaroneck and the City of Rye are having public meetings on September 22, 2021 to consider opting out.
To hold a public referendum in opposition to opting out, 20-25% of each community will have to sign a petition requesting a referendum. Thereafter a simple majority can reverse the governing body’s decision to opt out. For supporters of opting out, there is nothing they need to do but wait and vote on the public referendum, if one is required.