To open a dispensary in New York, you must be eligible for a conditional retail license for adult use. As an added benefit, you can use parts of your business plan for your New York marijuana dispensary license application. But most importantly, you'll need to know what it means to obtain a marijuana business license for adult marijuana retail in New York. The new commercial marijuana licensing program, created as part of the Compassionate Care Act, will regulate the production and sale of medical marijuana products in the state.
The Act would establish a Marijuana Policy Office as the regulatory department that would be responsible for licensing and regulating all marijuana businesses. Even when the state begins licensing adult marijuana companies, they will likely only be allowed to do business with other licensees through a state agency that will be created to manage all financial operations of the state's marijuana program. If you're just starting your marijuana business, the next best step is to visit the Green Rush store to help educate your team and be ready to apply for a marijuana business license. If you apply for a dispensary license for adult use in New York, you cannot apply for any additional licenses unless you are a pre-licensed medical marijuana company.
Adult dispensaries will be licensed by the Office of Cannabis Management, while medical dispensary licenses are currently authorized by the Department of Health. No person or business entity applying for a New York dispensary license can hold more than three retail dispensary licenses. To be eligible for a dispensary license, you must have a physical location for your business and you must also meet all state requirements for marijuana companies. Adult marijuana dispensaries will not be allowed to sell medical cannabis products, but will only sell adult cannabis products that have been tested and approved by state regulators who oversee the sale of cannabis.
If you plan to open a marijuana dispensary in New York State, you will need to obtain a retail license from the state. The first conditional dispensary licenses will all be for individuals who have been convicted of a marijuana offense in New York State and who have owned a portion of a profitable business for the past two years, or a qualifying nonprofit organization. A New York dispensary license for conditional use for adults authorizes the acquisition, possession, sale and delivery of cannabis from retail dispensary licensed premises by such licensee to cannabis consumers.
