New York Approves 74 New Marijuana Licenses, Bringing Total to Above 1,500
- The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) in New York announced the approval of a new batch of licenses, including distributors, microbusinesses, processors, and retailers.
- This round of approvals included three Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees.
- The state recently resumed licensing after settling lawsuits that delayed the program for nearly a year, resulting in over 300 licensed marijuana retailers.
- New York legalized marijuana in 2021, with the first licensed marijuana store opening the following year.
(Photo credit: Getty Images).
The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) also announced that only about 150 applications from the November 2023 submission period remain under review.
Among the newly approved licenses: six were awarded to distributors, 10 to microbusinesses, 39 to processors, and 16 to retailers. Additionally, three more Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees received final approval.
Despite legal setbacks that delayed the CAURD program for nearly a year, the state resumed licensing after settling two major lawsuits in 2023. Regulators then opened two application windows in November and December. Earlier this week OCM celebrated the opening of over 300 licensed marijuana retailers.
The OCM also recently held an event celebrating the state passing $1 billion in legal marijuana sales.
New York legalized marijuana in 2021, allowing those 21 and older to possess, use and purchase cannabis, with the first licensed marijuana store opening the following year.