Today, the Office of Cannabis Management announced it will begin accepting applications for Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses on August 25, 2022.
CAURD is a key pillar of the New York State Seeding Opportunity Initiative.
Through the Initiative, New York’s first legal adult-use retail dispensaries will be operated by those most impacted by the enforcement of the prohibition of cannabis, who will make the first sales of adult-use cannabis in New York with products grown by New York farmers.
To be eligible for these licenses you can choose to apply under the qualifying business track or qualifying nonprofit track.
Prospective Qualifying Business applicants must:
· Have a marijuana-related offense conviction that occurred prior to the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act (MRTA) on March 31, 2021, or have had a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, or dependent with a pre-MRTA marijuana-related offense conviction in the State of New York.
· Have experience owning and operating a qualifying business.
Applicants will be able to access the application portal for a CAURD license starting August 25, 2022, on New York State Business Express. Applicants are encouraged to start preparing their documentation for their applications before the portal opens and the Office of Cannabis Management has published an interactive resource page to help. The application window will close on September 26, 2022.
“Today’s announcement brings us to the precipice of legal, licensed cannabis sales in New York State,” said Tremaine Wright, Chair of the Cannabis Control Board. “With the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, New York has affirmed our commitment to making sure the first sales are conducted by those harmed by prohibition. We’re writing a new playbook for what an equitable launch of a cannabis industry looks like, and hope future states follow our lead.”
“In just two weeks my team will start accepting applications for adult-use retail cannabis dispensaries. This is a monumental step in establishing the most equitable, diverse, and accessible cannabis industry in the nation,” said Chris Alexander, Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management. “We’ve worked to make this application as simple as possible for all interested applicants, and I cannot emphasize it enough that you do not need any legal expertise to fill this application out.”
In March 2022, the Cannabis Control Board voted to issue proposed regulations for the CAURD licensees for public comment.
The public comment period closed on May 31, 2022. On July 14, 2022, the Cannabis Control Board approved the final rules and regulations for the CAURD licensing program.
Photo credit: Sunnyside Cannabis Dispensary.
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