New York Plans To Open First Marijuana Dispensaries With Licenses Reserved for People With Drug Convictions
New York State’s first outlets for retail marijuana are slated to open by the end of the year with officials planning on providing those with early licenses access to stock from local farmers as well as storefronts leased by the state. The first 100 to 200 of these licenses, however, will be reserved for people who have been convicted of marijuana-related offenses, or their relatives. This policy is an important step forward in creating equity for those who are disproportionately targeted and imprisoned over drugs, namely Black and Brown individuals. To bolster this economic opportunity, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed (and is likely to pass) a $200 million budget to help early business owners find and secure storefronts. Plans will kick off next week when the state opens applications for cultivators. Read more about this critical, unprecedented policy at The New York Times.
Image courtesy of Sara Naomi Lewkowicz/The New York Times
Via nytimes.com link opens in a new window
