The New York state Cannabis Control Board voted to approve 212 additional licenses for recreational stores, almost doubling the licenses issued for individuals with previous marijuana convictions who wish to enter the cannabis industry. The licenses were distributed among various regions, with Manhattan receiving 46 licenses, Brooklyn 44, the Capital Region 28, Long Island 24, and several others with smaller numbers. This expansion is part of the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program, prioritizing business owners with cannabis convictions or family members with previous convictions. So far, the board has awarded a total of 463 conditional adult-use licenses to justice-involved New Yorkers, surpassing the initial plan for 150 licenses. The aim is to bolster the retail market and transition consumers from the illicit to the legal market, supporting New York farmers’ cannabis sales.
The board will grant one more round of CAURD applications in the near future, and additional applications outside the program will open later in the fall. Currently, only 20 legal dispensaries are operating in New York, alongside numerous illicit stores without state regulation. The expansion of licenses is seen as a crucial step toward creating a more inclusive and equitable cannabis industry in the state.
