The New York Senate upholds nominees to get marijuana legalization back on track

Hochul said at the special session she urged lawmakers, “There is no reason why simple announcements of who the executive director and who the chairman is weren’t made in time, but I will make up for this lost time.”

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Alexander is director of government relations and policy for cannabis company Vill LLC, a multi-state cannabis company based in Canada. He was also Associate Counsel in the New York State Senate and Policy Coordinator for the Drug Policy Alliance. Alexander is said to have resigned from his position at Vill. Many in the industry were happy with the appointment and often describe Alexander as a cannabis politics nerd.

In a webinar in May, Alexander was quoted as saying, “What we have in terms of our social and economic justice program is essentially a MWBE program on steroids where we’re really trying to appeal to the people who have access to the Want to have market. This includes people who are affected by bans, including people who live in communities that have been monitored by the police. When it comes to marijuana possession crimes, you know, socially and economically disadvantaged farmers who struggle to keep the produce flowing and keep their industries alive. “

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The New York City Cannabis Industry Association (NYCCIA) and the Hudson Valley Cannabis Industry Association (HVCIA) released a statement welcoming these appointments and saying that they would now speed up the process “so that we don’t get through to the regular meeting at Have to wait January to begin ”. the work on the creation of the new legal market.

“As employees go online in the near future, the state can begin work on regulations to implement the breakthrough New York law, helping us to promote the law’s critical goals of promoting social and economic justice and as many opportunities as possible create, bring it a big step closer for those who want to participate in a new diverse and inclusive industry that can be a role model for the rest of the world. “

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Wright is a former representative of the 56th District of the New York State Assembly, which includes parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Wright ran for the State Senate in 2020, but lost to Jabari Brisport. Wright has been on the New York cannabis scene for years, fighting for legalization. She is currently the director of the Office of Financial Inclusion and Empowerment in the NYS Department of Financial Services. Many saw the move to appoint Wright as a possible strategic move for Hochul, who would need support from the area if she ran for governor, against the resignation.

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