Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Year : 2, Issue : 12
NEW YORK: The painfully slow process to open legal cannabis shops in New York continues and Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered a review of the licensing of the businesses.
Only a few more than 80 licensed stores have opened since the law was signed three years ago, while there are thousands of illegal cannabis shops operating.
Hochul, like many who submitted license applications, is frustrated with the rollout and tapped a state official to straighten things out.
“Governor Hochul has asked that we take a look at all aspects of the operation around the licensing,” said Jeannette Moy, commissioner of the Office of General Services.
Moy was tapped to clean up the mess surrounding the state’s cannabis rollout, a daunting task. Hochul has already called the rollout a “disaster” and Moy knows she’s got her work cut out for her.
There’s frustration all around. The Office of Cannabis Management said it has 32 people handling some 7,000 applications.
“Tumultuous, scary, stressful,” attorney Lauren Rudick said about the process.
Rudick has helped clients submit about 100 license applications, buts says some others have had an unfair edge.
Then there are the illegal shops flourishing across New York City, where there are said to be thousands across all five boroughs.
Source: CBS News
