New York Governor Orders Review of Troubled Marijuana Licensing Program

The audit aims to streamline operations and combat the flourishing black market.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has initiated a comprehensive review of New York's Office of Cannabis Management due to widespread criticism over the slow and problematic rollout of the state's legalized marijuana program.
The audit, led by General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy, aims to address the bureaucratic hurdles and legal challenges that have limited the opening of legal dispensaries and allowed the black market to thrive.
Despite issuing about 500 dispensary licenses since November 2022, only a fraction of these businesses have opened, highlighting inefficiencies in the licensing process.
The review seeks to streamline the licensing operation, improve the application process, and enhance the state's ability to crack down on illegal marijuana shops, which significantly outnumber legal ones.
The move comes amid growing frustration from small business owners and local authorities over the proliferation of unlicensed dispensaries and the slow pace of legal market development.