Medicinal flower now allowed in New York

New York’s Cannabis Control Board is moving quickly to make up for lost time under the previous administration. In the group’s first meeting since the new Governor, Kathy Hochul, who stepped in and nominated people to the board, they approved raw cannabis flowers as a medicinal product with immediate effect.

Boris Jordan, the founder and chairman of Curaleaf (OTC: CURLF) said on Twitter:

Thank you NY Gov. Hochul and the Office of Cannabis Management for allowing whole buds to be sold. This decision affects more than 151,000 medical patients in NY who now have access to high quality and safe whole bud. Action (don’t talk) from our new government! $ CURA $ CURLF

– Boris Jordan (@Boris_Jordan) October 5, 2021

In addition to allowing flowers, the board also relaxed other restrictions.

• Doctors can approve medical patients
• 30-day supply increases to 60-day supply
• There is no registration fee of USD 50 for patients
• Streamlining of taxes

Photo by Photo by Elsa Olofsson via Unsplash

Currently, the New York Cannabis Act states that adults 21 and over in New York can own up to three ounces of cannabis or 24 grams of concentrates. The irony is that ordinary citizens could legally smoke cannabis flowers in public, while medical patients were not allowed to use such a form factor.

RELATED: New York Cannabis Control Board’s First Meeting Is On The Books!

The meeting was quick and lasted about 30 minutes. The board members are Tremaine Wright (Cannabis Control Board Chair), Jessica Garcia, Rueben McDaniel III, Jen Metzger, Adam Perry and Chris Alexander (Executive Director). The meeting also named Jason Starr as chief equity officer. He was Assistant Counsel to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and also worked for the New York Civil Liberties Union.

RELATED: New York Senate Approves Nominees to Get Marijuana Legalization Back On Track

Patrik Jonsson, Regional President of the Northeast at Curaleaf said, “The expansion of New York’s medical program to include whole flower sales is a very big deal for thousands of affected patients who now have access to the most affordable, natural form of the plant. On behalf of Curaleaf and our patient community, I would like to thank lawmakers and the Office of Cannabis Management for their guidance on this matter.

This continuous evolution of the medical program, which includes expanded eligibility requirements and the elimination of application fees, will enable more patients to make decisions that best suit their needs. These changes give New Yorkers access to whole flowers that have undergone standardized procedures and testing protocols to ensure quality and safety. Curaleaf looks forward to expanding our product offering to provide the best possible service to our valued patients. ”Curaleaf said it could have products on the shelf within a week.

Shares see lift

Several of the high-profile cannabis companies in New York saw stock prices on the news immediately. Curaleaf shares rose as did Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF).

This article originally appeared in the Green Market Report and was republished with permission.