by Natalie Bougenies, Attorney @ Harris Bricken
Last week, New York’s Cannabis Control Board (“CCB”) held its first meeting since the enactment of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (the “MRTA”) and announced the transition of the State’s Cannabinoid Hemp Program (the “Program”) from the Department of Health (“DOH”) to the Office of Cannabis Management (“OCM”) – OCM is tasked with administering the cannabis rules and regulations CCB will eventually implement.
If you follow this blog, you may recall that in the spring of 2020, New York enacted A08977, which instructed DOH to develop the Program. Although DOH launched the Program in November 2020 and began accepting licensing and permit applications for cannabinoid hemp processors, distributors, and retailers, the state agency didn’t initiate the formal rulemaking process until June 2 of this year.
Since the publication of the DOH regulations (the “Rules”) in the New York State Register, licensees – as of September 30, 2021, licensees included 2,275 retailers, 384 distributors, 36 processors (hemp extract) and 34 manufacturers (finished products) – have had to comply with licensing, manufacturing, distribution, and sale requirements. Some of these requirements include:
Starting on November 1, licensees will also be required to ensure that every cannabinoid hemp product manufactured, distributed, and sold in the State meets specific testing, labeling and packaging requirements:
It is unclear following CCB’s first meeting whether the newly formed cannabis regulatory body will adopt the Rules in their current form or whether the group will conduct its own, independent rulemaking process in the weeks or months to come. What we do know, however, is that for now, and pursuant to the MRTA, the Rules will “continue in full force and effect until duly modified or abrogated by CCB.” Therefore, until then, licensees and stakeholder wishing to enter New York’s cannabinoid hemp market should familiarize themselves with the Rules and the Program to ensure compliance with all regulations currently in effect.
Re-published with the permission of Harris Bricken and The Canna Law Blog
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Comment *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
Δ
By Hannah King and Arin Aragona Plans for Kentucky’s medical cannabis program took a significant turn last week with the passage of House Bill 829 and the implementation of emergency…
By Steven Ascher and Anna M.Windemuth The unique status of the cannabis business — legal in a majority of states, but still illegal under federal law — creates a thorny…
By Courtney A. Hunter and Jessalyn H. Zeigler Demand for cannabidiol (CBD) products continues to climb, and the market has risen to the occasion. There is now a robust array…
Confidential documents obtained by THE CITY reveal how Chicago Atlantic Group became one of the biggest beneficiaries of the state’s legalization program. Last June, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that a…