Legislative and Licensing Update August 11, 2021

Leadership change in New York could be good news for the adult-use program and impact zones released in Connecticut help license hopefuls take the next step.

Plus cannabis news from New Jersey, Alabama, Arkansas, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, and New Mexico.

New York – Cuomo resigned, and Lieutenant Governor Hochul could speed up the cannabis program rollout. 

Also, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, a Native American tribe, will launch the first legal marijuana shops in Northern New York. A tribe in Long Island is also working on it. 

 

Connecticut – Impact zones were released that will be of benefit for the license application. Over 30 cities have areas included in the designation.

 

New Jersey will likely release regulations on or around August 21. Cities also need to opt in or out by that time. 

 

Arkansas regulators decided to use a reserve list to award two unassigned medical cannabis dispensary licenses and then use a lottery system to issue additional licenses in the future.

 

New Mexico regulators will hold a public hearing on draft marijuana rules on Friday. And the four members of their cannabis control division have been appointed. 

 

Alabama’s Medical Cannabis Commission will hold its first meeting on Thursday, August 12.

 

Ohio cannabis committee meeting also August 12, to discuss the upcoming application and RFA. Drafts of the rules are available online.

 

Illinois dispensary license lotteries started this month with two thus far, and one more on August 19.

 

Missouri’s medical cannabis dispensaries can now deliver to customers and are experiencing record sales. 

 

Mississippi’s lieutenant governor said last week that senators should have a draft medical cannabis bill this week. We’re still waiting, but they say they’re “very, very close”.