ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – While some municipalities have decided to opt-out of adult-use marijuana dispensaries and/or on-site consumption lounges in their jurisdiction. Failure to comply before the cutoff date will automatically enter a municipality into the retail market.

The Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act enacted in March allows municipalities this option until December 31. However, failure to act before this deadline does not necessarily guarantee a dispensary and/or consumption lounge to be located within their borders. Municipalities that choose to opt-out by Dec. 31, can always opt back in.

The Rockefeller Institute of Government has been monitoring the opt-out decision-making process of towns, villages, and cities across the state, and has launched newly launched the Marijuana Opt-Out Tracker to track the status of the opt-out process as it is happening. The Opt-Out Tracker monitors the activities of the municipalities’ decision-making process by reviewing local governing boards, newspaper articles, legal notices for public hearings, the passage of local laws, and submissions of local laws to the Department of State.

Albany County

• Altamont (Village) opt-out to both, decision as of October 5
• Coeymans (Town) opt-in for dispenseries, with opt-out to consumption sites, decision as of November 22
• Colonie (Town) opt-in for dispenseries, with consumption on sites only, decision as of September 9

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