In its first meeting, the Cannabis Control Board chair admitted to already missing a deadline set out by the law that legalized marijuana. But what the board did do Tuesday is appoint senior staff and make immediate changes to the state’s medical cannabis program.
MORE: Months after legalization, New York remains without a cannabis industry
The changes to the medical marijuana program include:
- Expanding the types of eligible clinical providers that certify patients to any practitioner who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances in New York State, including dentists, podiatrists, and midwives.
- Increasing the amount of approved medical cannabis that may be dispensed to a patient or caregiver from a thirty day supply to a sixty day supply.
- Permanently waiving the patient and caregiver $50 registration fee.
- Streamlining the approval for facilities such as hospitals, residential facilities, and schools to become designated caregiver facilities.
The board appointed Jason Starr as the chief equity officer, who’s tasked with establishing a robust social and economic equity program to prioritize the licensing of members of communities disproportionally impacted by the War on Drugs.
The board is still ironing out regulations on the cannabis industry. There is still no licensing process out yet.
The OCM’s executive director gave a report prioritizing staffing the office of cannabis management. He says he has submitted some candidates’ names to the board.
MORE: What's the hold up with NY's marijuana market?
The board chair admitted that the board missed their deadline for issuing regulations governing him cultivation of marijuana for certified medical patient. The board chair said that was due to a delay in getting the board members appointed. The bill that legalized marijuana gave the board six months to issue regulations. That bill is called the marijuana regulation and taxation act, or MRTA.
“The MRTA set out a six month effective date for the cannabis control bird to issue regulations governing home cultivation for certified medical patients. Due to the delay in appointing the full cannabis control board we have missed our deadline,” said Cannabis control Board Chair Tremaine Wright.
The board did not give a specific timeline when IT will create regulations for home cultivation of medical marijuana. The board has not announced the next meeting date, but says it will be posted on the OCM website ahead of the next meeting.
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