Buffalo, NY (WBEN) As dozens of hemp cultivators recently got the green light from Albany to switch to marijuana, others are waiting to get into the game. One expert understands why the state is taking its time.
Aleece Burgio of MJI Solutions says while 52 hemp cultivators were allowed to begin growing for marijuana, hundreds more are waiting. "There's another 100 licenses that are being reviewed, that have been applied to the Cannabis Control Board," says Burgio. She says there is a regulatory public comment period happening for the seed initiative, which would allow for social equity retail dispensaries that are anticipated to get up and running by the end of the year.
Burgio says she was expecting rules and regulations to be rolled out by this past winter, but she and others are still waiting. "Now it's been pushed to end of May, or summer we're hearing. So what we're really looking for as those of us in our seats is a full picture of all encompass rules and regulations to help us be licensed structures, canopy limits, what we can anticipate in terms of rolling out process," says Burgio. She says there are a number of questions applicants have when the next window opens. "What will people need to apply? Will it be really intense like the medical marijuana applications were? Or will it be pretty minimal, like these hemp applications?" adds Burgio.
Burgio says while New York is playing catch up, she understands why the process has been moving slowly. "The slower you go, the less mistakes you make," notes Burgio. "They want to make sure that they're doing it correctly, that they have all the social equity and inclusion principles in New York State that maybe the other states aren't thinking of. But with that, we missed a lot of the revenue and...I think we It looks like we're behind the ball." Burgio says the state is doing this purposefully so that they are making sure that everybody is having an opportunity that they promised in the social equity provision.
