New York’s top cannabis regulator is putting pressure on the state to launch an adult-use market within an 18-month timeframe – a timeline that started after legislation was enacted in March.

Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright has created a buzz across the state, where New Yorkers are now feeling overly optimistic about sales beginning by late 2022. 

“It’s a reasonable, although aggressive timeline,” Wright is quoted as saying during the Crain’s New York Business forum. “We hope to beat it.”

Prior to Wright’s public discussion, most New Yorkers were expecting the billion-dollar program to officially kick off in 2023. 

During the forum, Wright expressed her hopes of suggested regulations being released for public comment by January 2022. She also maintains faith that the adult-use license application process will open before September 2022.

Tribal cannabis in New York is transpiring at a rapid rate

Located on the brink of the Canadian border in upstate New York, The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe has finally released its tribally-operated recreational cannabis market after bestowing three cultivation permits upon lucky applicants.

The exciting news suggests that the Akwesasne-based tribe is on-track to become the first adult-use cannabis retailer located in the state’s entire tribal region. New York lawmakers started grafting towards the recreational industry rules two years ago, before the market was officially legalized in July.

Tribal cannabis business license applications have been accepted since September. Only the companies that agreed to comply with The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s June-adopted regulations were invited to apply. After a careful review process, tribal cannabis cultivation permits were awarded to Tru Bloom (Owner – Vance Thompson,) Bank Side Flowering Co. (Owner – Noah Mitchell) and First Americans (Owner – Rick Hamelin).

However, since the state Cannabis Compliance Office is still in the process of reviewing retail applications, those permits won’t be awarded until “early 2022.” Nonetheless, many cannabis business owners are pleased with the news, including Audacious CEO Terry Booth.

“This deal expedites adult usage sales in New York State,” Booth said in a news release. “With the statewide start of adult use sales not expected to commence for at least another 18 months, this partnership creates an incredible early-mover advantage that we and our First Americans partners will look to capitalize on.”

30 percent of New York’s villages have outlawed recreational cannabis stores

On the week that concluded December 19th, a report issued by the Associated Press revealed how 25 percent of New York’s towns and 30 percent of the state’s villages had outlawed recreational cannabis stores from operating in their jurisdictions.

On December 31, 2021, another opt-in/opt-out vote will see whether or not New York’s municipalities embrace recreational cannabis.

Predictions published in the 2021 MJBizFactbook estimate that adult-use cannabis sales will reach $1.1 billion during the program’s initial year of operation, before topping $2.1 billion on an annual basis by the fourth year.