Advertisement. Advertise with us

Pot preference for ‘justice involved’ gives pause to law enforcement

New York took a big step toward opening its first licensed retail marijuana dispensaries when the Office of Cannabis Management adopted regulations on March 10 that could see some stores up and running by the end of the calendar year.

The proposed rules place ā€˜justice-involvedā€™ individuals at the head of the line for winning the right to open a storefront dispensary ā€“ a priority in the 2021 law paving the way for recreational marijuana sales in New York State.

The newly issued regulations would require a person seeking a dispensary license to show proof of conviction for a pot-related offense in New York State prior to March 31, 2021, or have a family member convicted prior to March 31, 2021 on a pot charge.

The agency says it will evaluate license applicants based on criteria including whether the justice-involved individual had as his or her primary residence a home in an area with ā€œhistorically high rates of arrest, conviction, or incarcerationā€ for marijuana-related offenses, lived in an area with historically low median income, or lived in public housing. And, they promise, OCM will ā€œactively promote applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition, and promote racial, ethnic, and gender diversity when issuing licenses for adult-use cannabis related activities.ā€

Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl was critical of the stateā€™s plans for start-up licenses.

ā€œWe want criminals running a business like this?ā€ he said. Sarcastically, he added, ā€œWhat a fantastic idea. Here we are rewarding people who couldnā€™t follow the law in the first place.ā€

ā€œWeā€™re treating them like victims,ā€ he said of those with prior convictions. ā€œItā€™s like itā€™s no big deal that they broke the law. Itā€™s an unfortunate situation.ā€

In an interview on WAMC radio last week, Albany County District Attorney David Soares, a Democrat, said, ā€œItā€™s not the marijuana thatā€™s been the cause of violence, itā€™s the protection of the illicit marijuana industry in urban centers that have been the cause of violence. And so to reward individuals whoā€™ve been at the forefront of those offenses is just to me breathtaking.ā€

State officials are leaning hard into the economic justice part of the equation.

ā€œFor decades, the prohibition against cannabis was disproportionately enforced against black and brown New Yorkers, disrupting lives and communities,ā€ said OCM spokesman Freeman Klopott. ā€œTo help offset those harms, New Yorkā€™s new Cannabis Law, enacted last year, prioritizes those impacted the most for licenses in the new industry.ā€

ā€œThe Seeding Opportunity Initiative announced last week implements the intention of that law by prioritizing those with cannabis convictions for licenses to own a retail dispensary while also requiring that they have owned a successful business,ā€ he said. ā€œIn other words, the Initiative prioritizes those who got a second chance and made the most of it by building a business thatā€™s already part of our communities. Other states opened their markets with big-out-state, businesses, but in New York, weā€™re prioritizing small farmers and small businesses to open ours.ā€

At this time, it appears the agency has set no limit on the total number of retail licenses it plans to authorize ā€“ officials there said that will depend on customer demand. Locally, officials are not certain of the extent to which the regulatory lean will affect Otsego Countyā€™s opportunities for early license approvals.

Village of Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh acknowledged the underpinning intent of the stateā€™s new marijuana sales law.

ā€œThe focus of the legislation was always on communities adversely impacted by prior enforcement ā€“ 50 percent of licenses and also a focus on minority and women-owned business enterprises,ā€ she said. ā€œSo a small rural community like Cooperstown was not going to be at the top of the list.ā€

ā€œHowever,ā€ she said, ā€œthere are local individuals who are interested in having a retail location here, so they will be applying for a license.ā€

ā€œThereā€™s no doubt prohibition affected more urban areas,ā€ said Village of Cooperstown Trustee MacGuire Benton, a vocal supporter of allowing a dispensary within village limits. ā€œItā€™s probably unrealistic to think that Cooperstown would definitely get a license from the start, but I know there are entrepreneurs in town who are interested.ā€

ā€œOne of the pillars of this legislation was righting some wrongs in the criminal justice system,ā€ he said. ā€œNobody should have been sitting in jail and incarcerated because they sold some weed.ā€

At the same March 10 meeting, the Office of Cannabis Management approved a license application beginning March 15, 2022 for hemp farmers seeking to grow adult-use cannabis beginning in the spring. The ā€˜Adult-Use Conditional Cultivator Licenseā€™ process comes from a law Governor Kathy Hochul signed one month ago.

The ā€˜Farmers Firstā€™ program provides a cultivator license to eligible New York cannabinoid hemp farmers, giving them the first chance to grow cannabis for New Yorkā€™s adult-use market. Farmers will be required to follow quality assurance, health, and safety requirements developed by the OCM and must take part in sustainability and equity mentorship programs ā€œthat will help build the first generation of equity cannabis owners across the entire supply chain,ā€ the OCM said.

Mr. Benton applauded the focus on farmers.

ā€œIā€™m hopeful that the push for cultivation licenses will be a big boost to Otsego County,ā€ he said. ā€œI think that by prioritizing farmers, thatā€™s where weā€™ll see the real benefits locally. Itā€™s entirely possible that it will be awhile before we get a retail dispensary, but the farmers can get to work right away.ā€

State lawmakers are currently weighing Governor Hochulā€™s state budget proposal for a $200 million fund to ā€œmake funding available for equity entrepreneurs at the forefront of the adult-use cannabis market.ā€ Her office says the program would direct finds for industry licensing fees, leasing, construction, and renovations at ā€œprime locationsā€ to meet health, safety, and security requirements.

The retail dispensary regulations remain open for comment through the OCMā€™s website (cannabis.ny.gov); at press time, the site also contained information regarding the cultivation license process.

Posted

2 Comments

  1. “Justice Involved”? That’s what’s wrong with the nation today. I could think of better words, Law, Breaker or Criminal. What about the “justice Involved” who sold pot and now their buyers went on the use hard drugs.
    It makes you embarrassed to say I never broke any laws. Let’s get rid of these “Social Dreamers” they are ruining the country.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

In Memoriam: A. George Eccleston, 71 August 28, 1951 – December 26, 2022

In MemoriamA. George Eccleston, 71August 28, 1951 - December 26, 2022 NEW BERLIN – A. George Eccleston, 71, of New Berlin, NY, passed away Monday December 26, 2022, in Cooperstown, NY, with his family by his side. George was born in Cortland, NY on August 28, 1951, the son of the late Clifford and Dora Watts Eccleston. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two sisters Emily and Kathy and brother Ron.…

HAPPENINā€™ OTSEGO: 05-29-23

HAPPENINā€™ OTSEGOĀ for MONDAY, MAY 29 Otsego County Remembers The Fallen ONEONTA MEMORIAL DAY PARADE ā€”10 a.m. Commemorate our countryā€™s fallen soldiers. The day will begin with a parade (line-up at 9 a.m. and step off at 10), to commemorate Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo. A riderless horse will be included as a salute to the fallen, with CWO3 Shawn Hubner, who serves in the deceasedā€™s unit, hand carrying the battalion colors from Fort Wainwright to Oneonta and marching in the honor guard. After the parade will be a ceremony of remembrance at 11 a.m. on the Veterans Memorial…

In Memoriam: Virginia L. Stocking

In Memoriam Virginia L. Stocking December 2, 1922-May 17, 2023 SPRINGFIELD CENTERā€”Virginia L. Stocking, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on May 17, 2023 at the age of 100.  Virginia was born in Cooperstown on December 2, 1922 to Earl and Catherine Richards. She spent most of her childhood in East Springfield and graduated from Springfield Central School in June of 1940. She married Glenn C. Stocking on April 9, 1944. Virginia and Glenn devoted their lives to each other and to their family.  In addition to spending time with her family, Virginia enjoyed playing the organ,…

Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper

Now through March 30, new annual subscribers to ā€œThe Freemanā€™s Journalā€ and AllOtsego.com (or subscribers who have lapsed for two or more years) have an opportunity to help their choice of one of four Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice:

Cooperstown Farmersā€™ Market, Cooperstown Food Pantry, Greater Oneonta Historical Society or Super Heroes Humane Society.