The theme of Tuesday’s Cannabis Control Board meeting in New York was “transition.”
Felicia Reid was introduced as the acting executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management, which is limping toward a rebuild. Chris Alexander, the former executive director, resigned last month after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the findings of an investigation into the young agency. The report, published by the Office of General Services, detailed myriad issues, including a lack of transparency and communication, inexperienced leadership, and public mistrust.
“These times demand adaptability and a continued commitment to doing better. As a result, we have been working to integrate feedback from our valued stakeholders,” Tremaine Wright, chair of the Cannabis Control Board, which sits within the Office, said at the start of the meeting. “At this moment of transition, it is important for all of us to embrace change.”
Wright introduced Reid, who spoke briefly.
Reid affirmed Wright’s comments about “leading by listening.” She added, “That tends to be my very specific way of practice,” in reference to her experience working in juvenile justice.
“We often talk about meeting folks where they’re at, and that involves going out, getting feedback, understanding criticism, and seeing where the gaps are, where we can make things better,” Reid said.
The Board approved a handful of resolutions, including rules to allow New York adults to grow cannabis at home. Patrick McKeage, chief operating officer for OCM, called this move one of the “last pillars” of the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). McKeage said that some other states have been reluctant to allow home cultivation because it can be “tricky.” In New York, for example, there will be “prohibitions” on the use of any volatile solvents including butane and propane, he said.
“We’ve heard horror stories from other states where people are doing things in garages and basements. So please do not blow yourself up,” he said, adding that OCM will be issuing home cultivation guidance in the near future.
John Kagia, OCM’s director of policy, gave some broad updates, and noted that enforcement actions against unlicensed shops are starting to have a “positive effect.” Gov. Hochul included new enforcement language in her budget, which gave localities more power in shutting down unlicensed sellers. Kagia didn’t provide any specific numbers on shops shuttered in the state.
Kagia shared several “key” areas that OCM is “very closely monitoring and very aggressively prioritizing as we move forward.” These areas include interstate data sharing and rescheduling.
“We are no longer dealing with an industry that is just singularly based in New York. With the DEA’s announcement that rescheduling is imminent, it is going to be a long, drawn out process, but we cannot wait until the switch gets flipped for us to consider how this might implicate our market,” Kagia said. “So, we have begun the process of thinking through and working through the implications of federal rescheduling on our market, and understanding how to shore up and safeguard our market.”
Also, regulators approved more than 100 licenses, including retail, distributor, processor, microbusiness, and cultivator. The public comment period was, as it has been in previous meetings, marked by deep frustration about a lack of communication from regulators.
