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New York’s licensed cannabis distributors are hoping to get the green light to sell ganja at pop-up marijuana trade shows, concerts and festivals under new rules expected to be approved on Wednesday.
The move comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration faces withering criticism for the slow rollout of the legal cannabis program, with just 20 licensed dispensaries and delivery outlets open throughout New York.
“It’s a great opportunity. It’s going to allow more people to be exposed to the legal cannabis market,” said Osbert Orduna, CEO of Queens-based The Cannabis Place.
If the plan gets a thumbs-up, retail cannabis dealers must partner with at least three marijuana farmers to sell flowered weed.
If approved, customers could buy flowered products, gummy bears and other edibles — but would not be allowed to smoke weed at the events.
The pop-up sales would be at venues or street events where the customers are predominantly age 21 and up — the legal age to buy weed, a source familiar with the plan said.
Officials with the state Office of Cannabis Management had announced plans in June to help struggling licensed marijuana farmers, but the strategy quickly went up in smoke following disagreements about potentially selling retail marijuana at farmers’ markets.
Jason Tantalo, co-founder of the Cannabis Adult Retail Dispensary Coalition, called the delay “discouraging and disappointing” and theorized that state officials may have jumped the gun and hadn’t ironed out complicated legal issues.
“I don’t know why they would say they would do something — and never do it. It would be a way for licensed operators to get out from under the slow rollout,” Tantalo said.
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