Two years of legalization in NYS has not gone smoothly for anyone
By Andrew Harris,
When New York announced it was going to legalize cannabis the law drafters and special interests and the proponents of legal cannabis took pride and deemed it a revolutionary piece of legislation. All the lessons learned by the dozen or so states had been studied, benchmarked, and integrated into the “Marijuana Taxation Act,(MRTA.) The law was dynamic, progressive, and fair, on paper.
In real life it has felt like it was a novel experiement gone wrong. Many dreams have been dashed into insolvency while waiting for the state to build the new marketplace using a new state agency, the Office of Cannabis Managment. Despite being staffed with the people who crafted the law, lifelong advocates, and other very sharp folks; the shear scale of the effort seems to have underestimated.
After two years of hand wringing, almost everyone agrees that the new marketplace has gone haywire. Today Governor Hochul started the process or “revamping” the effort. From her office:
“Governor Kathy Hochul today initiated an assessment of the Office of Cannabis Management to identify opportunities for improvement and begin implementation of a strategic plan for the long-term success of the legal cannabis rollout. Commissioner for the Office of General Services Jeanette Moy will serve as lead and executive sponsor of the effort, supported by experienced State government leaders.
“Today, we take the first step in revamping New York’s legal cannabis industry to ensure its long-term success,” Governor Hochul said. “I have full confidence in Commissioner Moy’s ability to identify areas that need improvement, establish standards and processes across agencies, and jumpstart the next phase of New York’s legal cannabis market.
New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “Governor Hochul has prioritized a State government that is transparent, more efficient and responsive for all New Yorkers. I look forward to working with OCM’s leadership to help get this agency’s work on track and find ways to streamline the application process and get businesses open.”
New York State Office of Cannabis Management Executive Direct Chris Alexander said, “We have built a cannabis market based on equity, and there is a lot to be proud of. At the same time, there is more we can do to improve OCM’s operations and we know Commissioner Moy, a proven leader in government, will help us get where we need to be. We owe it to operators across the supply chain and consumers alike, who are looking for more access and opportunity in our budding, regulated market. At the end of the day, it’s all about doing what’s right for New Yorkers.”
Commissioner Moy will embed in OCM for a minimum 30-day sprint to assess the agency’s organization. As part of the plan, several goals have been identified, including:
- Top-down review of organizational structure, processes, and systems with a focus on improving OCM license processing times and application-to-opening timeframes for new cannabis retailers and businesses.
- Develop key performance metrics and an executive-level licensing dashboard to provide the Executive Chamber with a timely, accurate, and comprehensive picture of licensing activity for legal retailers.
- Identify and implement changes to policy, procedure, and regulation (within the bounds of the MRTA) to streamline the licensing process and simplify application and review for prospective licensees.
- Develop three-month and six-month action plans with organizational change initiatives, milestones, and actions to continue improving agency functions while developing a world-class licensing and regulatory agency for New York States’ cannabis industry.
Commissioner Moy will have access to resources from OGS, the Office of Information Technology Services, and other State agencies to support the development of systems and dashboards. Additionally, OCM leadership and staff will work in partnership with Commissioner Moy and her team to help streamline the assessment process.
Following the initial 30-day period, the potential for external consulting may be considered to support a second, longer-duration phase of the effort.”
Did you know you can purchase NYS grown cannabis from a licensed delivery service? Alle-Catt Cannabis has a full dispensary selection online, that can be delivered to your door with next day service. 21 & older only. AlleCattCannabis.com delivers anywhere in Western New York, the Southern Tier, and the Finger Lakes.
