Cannabis condemnation required for first retail licenses in New York

State cannabis stores in many jurisdictions, including Canada, have a negative tone towards legacy market veterans. Small businesses are often swept away and replaced by large corporate buds. To counter this, New York plans to offer retail licenses to individuals with a cannabis belief through a social justice program.

That means 50% of the first cannabis retail business licenses in New York are only granted to people with a cannabis conviction. (1) Any parent, legal guardian, child, spouse or member of the judiciary convicted of a cannabis crime prior to March 31, 2021 may also apply for the initial licenses. (2)

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo signed New York’s legalization bill into law on March 31 last year. (3)

Does the state invest in convicts with its own stocks?

Under the plan, the state promises to provide funds while sneakily holding ownership of shopfronts. It is true that justice should mean that the wrongs inflicted on cannabis users are righted, according to one definition of the word. However, under the New York Cannabis Licensing Plan, social debt is a more accurate definition of equity.

Social and economic seems to be the brand name. This is because the funds granted by the state are spent through an equity [mutual stock] fund. In all fairness, the plan allows the state to quietly reinvest securities and assets collected from cannabis crimes in former drug war prisoners. Meanwhile, the state is venturing into a major investment opportunity.

A Viable Legal Market or Carrot?

In all fairness, however, individuals buried in the roots of the cannabis industry often refer to government subsidy programs as non-viable carrots. This is because legalization has been botched elsewhere. Regulated cannabis was far too limited in quantity and quality, and fraught with too many problems to meet demand. Because of these shortcomings, legacy retailers in some jurisdictions and countries have been opposed to transitioning to a less accessible platform.

Keep in mind that attempts at social justice programs in other states have not potentiated the market. Hopeful entrepreneurs entering the California legal industry have faced many hurdles. One challenge involved a $10,000 advance for a lawyer. There was also California’s grand race for the first 100 social justice applicants in 2019. Unfortunately, this attempt at granting retail cannabis licenses involved a fixed computer system, as evidenced by an LA Times audit. (4)

While legalization has the potential to be successful with the right plan. Will retail outlets not run by cannabis industry prisoners eliminate social injustices caused by the drug war? Or will introducing wrongfully convicted individuals counter-intuitively create a more damaging bureaucracy given legal cannabis sales in New York?

Let us know what you think about social justice programs in the cannabis section in the comments. And look at this story to read about steps being taken in New York to ensure greater access to medicinal cannabis.

definitions

Fund means a social and economic equity fund invested in by the State, a government agency, a public agency, a non-profit corporation or a department thereof and formed for the limited purpose of funding expenses which include construction costs, but are not limited to this. Renovations and purchases of equipment related to the establishment or development of adult cannabis operators.

Part 116 – Conditional retail pharmacy for adult use. New York. 2022.

swell

1. Villeneuve, M. 2022. 1. NY Pot Sales Permits Will Go To People With Convictions. AP News.
2. Part 116. Conditional retail pharmacy for adult use. New York. Chapter II. Subtitle B. Title 9. Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York.
3. McKinley, J. and Ashford, G. 2022. New Yorkers with Marijuana Convictions Receive First Retail Licenses. The New York Times.
4. Gerber, M. 2022. California promised “social justice” after cannabis legalization. Those most affected feel betrayed. LA times.
5. Draft law on conditional cannabis cultivation. New York. 2022.