How to Apply for a New York Pharmacy License
Residents and nonprofits with ties to the drug war are given priority access and assistance, according to the state Cannabis Committee
On July 14, New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) approved the application form for the state’s first retail cannabis licenses. The Cannabis Board released a completed draft of the form for applicants to reference on the OCM’s website and social media.
The OCM’s 50-page mockup application is a study guide for New Yorkers who want to become a pharmacy owner. The application portal is not yet open. The complete conditions of participation can be found here.
Potential pharmacy applicants are encouraged to sign up for push notifications and the OCM mailing list to be notified of the application window in good time.
New York Mayor Eric Adams proposed a short-term $4.8 million social equity investment fund for public relations and license application assistance. Outreach would target communities hardest hit by the War on Drugs, with the goal of giving them a head start in the legal cannabis industry.
Some expect The Empire State to start selling adult-use cannabis in late 2022 or early 2023. So now it’s time for New Yorkers to stake their claim on the new green rush.
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With state officials forecasting $1.25 billion in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs for the industry over the next six years, fair access to licenses has been a hot topic since former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed cannabis in March 2021 legalized for all adults. The OCM tweeted, “New York’s first dispensaries will be owned by those harmed by the overcriminalization of cannabis.”
The Cannabis Board website also has detailed instructions on how to apply for retail, cultivation and manufacturing licenses here.
Additional application resources are available on the OCM’s licensing page and below.
How to apply for a conditional retail license for adult use
According to OCM, the opening date of license applications is announced at least two weeks in advance, and applicants have at least 30 days to submit applications before a closing date is announced. The OCM issues conditional licenses to select applicants who must renew their license within four years of receipt.
Who is Eligible?
New York State will prioritize this first round of licenses for individuals involved in the justice system who have been convicted of nonviolent cannabis charges.
Eligibility requirements for applicants include:
- A “significant presence in New York State,” either through individual residency, a corporate location “organized under the laws of New York State.”
- The individual applicant (or at least one individual of an organization) must either be a participant in the judiciary and be convicted of a marijuana-related offense before March 31, 2021, “a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse or a dependents”. who was convicted or a relative of a convicted person.
- If the applicant is not involved in the judiciary, they may be eligible “if they own or have owned at least 10 percent ownership and control of a qualifying entity for at least two years.”
- Non-profit organizations that directly serve and employ individuals working in the judiciary and have a positive net worth.
- Individuals who meet these criteria for judicial involvement must be granted a controlling interest in the company if it is granted a license.
- Applicants must be at least 21 years old
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The OCM also states that it will evaluate eligible applications based on a variety of factors. Factors include: whether the applicant dealing with justice was himself convicted, whether he was a resident at the time of conviction, and the socioeconomic factors of that neighborhood.
Other factors include the size of the business, physical location, and any fees, fines, or violations imposed by government agencies.
Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the OCM with any questions or concerns.
This story will be updated once the application details and deadlines are released by the OCM.
Amelie Williams
New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews and The Bold Italic of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Check out Amelia Williams’ articles
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