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NY starts accepting 1st retail cannabis licenses, with focus on equity

"We aren't hiding from the dark history this plant has played in our state but shining a light on it and moving forward together," Damian Fagon said.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — After more than a year of planning, the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has started accepting applications from those looking to obtain a license to legally sell marijuana.

The CAURD or Conditional Adult-Use Recreational Dispensary program opened Thursday to justice-involved applicants with prior cannabis convictions who also qualify for a number of other criteria.

"We aren't hiding from the dark history this plant has played in our state but shining a light on it and moving forward together," said Damian Fagon, the chief equity officer for the state cannabis office.

Fagon spoke during a virtual press conference Thursday and explained how the CAURD program is helping to "right a wrong" that countless New Yorkers have been impacted by over the years. Applicants are required to verify their prior conviction and have until September 26 to apply.

"We're making sure real New Yorkers [with cannabis convictions] have a shot at getting in on the ground floor of this industry," Fagon said.

Applicants will be required to have at least 2 years of experience running a profitable business and provide a list in rank order, of the five preferred regions they'd wish to operate in, whether that be Western New York or Manhattan.

OCM Executive Director Chris Alexander added that his office will be ensuring applicants are in good financial standing while they process each application in the weeks following the application window.

"Ensuring that we have the best operators, folks who have the experience running businesses coming in to be the foundation of this market," Alexander said.

Each application will be scored and the top 150 will be selected to receive a license and a dispensary location. A ready-to-run facility will be handed over to each approved applicant. The New York State Office of Dormitory Services is in the process of obtaining such facilities.

Whether each applicant gets their first, second, or even third region choice will depend on how many applications are received.

The number of CAURD dispensaries however has been predetermined based on population. Western New York (Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties) is set to receive 11. The Finger Lakes region (Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Livingston, Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca and Yates counties) will get 9.

Retail sales are still expected to begin by the end of the year.

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