New York to probe sputtering legal marijuana program as storefronts lag, black market booms

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE
Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York will evaluate its troubled recreational marijuana licensing program as lawsuits and bureaucratic stumbles have severely hampered the legal market and black-market sellers have flourished. Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the review Monday, eager to find ways to speed up license processing times and allow legal businesses to open faster. Hochul has described the state’s recreational marijuana rollout as a “disaster.” Just over 80 legal shops have opened since sales began at the end of 2022 while unlicensed storefronts have popped up statewide, The review calls for embedding state government officials in the cannabis management agency for at least 30 days.