NY begins accepting cannabis applications from people harmed by the War on Drugs

The New York cannabis industry plans to prioritize those disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs.

On Thursday, the city’s cannabis regulators approved rules that would allow retail stores to accept claims from injured parties.

BREAKING: The Cannabis Control Board just approved the regulations and application for conditional retail licenses for adult use, driving the Seeding Opportunity Initiative.

The first cannabis dispensaries in New York will be owned by those harmed by the over-criminalization of cannabis.

— NYS Office of Cannabis Management (@nys_cannabis) July 14, 2022

RELATED: New York’s draft conditional retail regulation raises practical concerns

The regulations state that to qualify, applicants must have experience running a qualifying business and be convicted of a drug offense before the state legalized marijuana. Applicants may also qualify for a conditional adult marijuana retail license if they have a close family member who has been convicted of a drug offense.

While these regulations are well intentioned, they have been criticized in the past for potentially being restrictive. A person affected by the War on Drugs may have had a history of encounters with the law, making it difficult for them to also have experience running and running a business.

New York legalized marijuana on March 31, 2021 and has been working for the past year to make it fair and profitable. While it’s legal to use marijuana and possess up to three ounces of cannabis, selling it remains illegal, an issue that has caused some confusion in the state, especially since new businesses in the form of trucks, pop-ups, and brick-and-mortar have emerged , taking advantage of the marijuana boom.

Authorities have tried to control these deals by sending out cease and desist letters while still trying to keep the police uninvolved.

RELATED: The New York Senate Just Approved This Critical Marijuana Bill

“Selling untested product puts lives at risk,” said Tremain Wright, chairman of the New York Cannabis Control Board. “I am calling on these illegal shopkeepers and any other business pretending to be a legitimate business to stop selling cannabis products immediately.”