Cannabis NYC

In partnership with the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the Cannabis NYC Loan Fund was established to provide affordable and flexible financing opportunities to licensed cannabis operators in New York City.

In June 2024, Tuatara Capital was selected as the Cannabis NYC Loan Fund administrator. $2 million is now available for state-approved Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees based in NYC to apply for business loans up to $100,000.

Loans provided through this fund will support borrower's start up and/or ongoing operating expenses with flexibility and unrestricted use for business expenses.

In partnership with Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the Cannabis Reentry Employment Assistance & Training Experience (CREATE) pilot program was launched in April 2024 to establish a pipeline for justice-impacted individuals to access workforce opportunities in the developing legal industry.

CREATE is a 6-week, paid training program that identifies individuals who have justice system involvement in the past three years and provides them with opportunities for training and employment within NYC's cannabis market.

This program provides participants with in-person classroom training, relevant work experience, and an internship placement within a licensed dispensary partner for on-the-job training. CREATE provides licensed dispensary partners with qualified, entry-level candidates to support day-to-day operations.

Gain the tools to launch your cannabis-focused business.

FastTrac® for Cannabis Entrepreneurs provides prospective entrepreneurs with the fundamentals of starting, operating, and scaling a cannabis-focused business in New York’s emerging industry.

Access free services to start, operate, and grow your cannabis business through SBS's NYC Business Solutions Centers (BSCs), located in all five boroughs:

• business courses
• compliance consultations
• financing assistance
• legal assistance
• hiring assistance
• government navigation
• Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) certification
  

NYC LEASE is a temporary 6-month initiative that connects Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees looking for viable retail locations with landlords of vacant storefronts and already existing services provided by SBS, including the Commercial Lease Assistance program.

The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) legalizes cannabis for adults 21 years of age or older. This law sets out a framework that will protect public health and safety, while promoting social equity and economic development. The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will license cultivators, processors, distributors, and dispensaries to grow and sell cannabis in New York.

To stay up to date on New York State rules and regulations, visit cannabis.ny.gov.

If you are interested in becoming a New York State cannabis licensee, explore New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM)’s website to learn more about the process and the rules.

Adults 21+ in New York State can now cultivate (grow) cannabis at home. 

A person can grow up to three (3) mature and three (3) immature plants at any one time but no residence can have more than six (6) mature and six (6) immature plants.

In 2016, New York State implemented the Medical Cannabis Program. In March 2021, the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) amended the program and improved access for medical patients with the implementation of regulations including but not limited to the expansion of qualifying medical conditions, the increase in the number of caregivers a patient may designate, and the expansion of available product categories and dispensing limits.

The Medical Program has allowed thousands of New Yorkers to gain access to safe, lab tested medical cannabis treatment.

• If you are a patient, learn more about joining the program here.
• If you are a provider, learn more about joining the program here.

• NYS Cannabis Laws & Regulations
• NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM)
  • Call 888-626-5151
  • Sign Up for OCM Updates
  • Licensing
  • Cannabis Workforce Development
  • Dispensary Location Verification
  • What Parents, Mentors and Trusted Adults Need to Know About Cannabis Fact Sheet
  • Medical Cannabis Program
• NYC Department of Buildings
  • Cannabis Business Guide: Adult-Use Retail Dispensary
  • Cannabis Business Guide: Cannabis Cultivator
  • Cannabis Business Guide: Cannabis Microbusiness
  • Cannibis Business Guide: Cannabis Processor
  • NYC Guide to Locating Cannabis Businesses in Compliance with the NYC Zoning Resolution
• NYC Department of Health
  • Cannabis in NYC: Know Your Rights
  • Cannabis in NYC: Legal Use
  • Cannabis in NYC: Health Effects
  • Keep Children Safe from Cannabis (Marijuana) Products
  • Cannabis and Youth: Know the Facts

How do I get a license to distribute, cultivate, sell, or process cannabis?

The NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is charged with issuing licenses for businesses to participate in New York’s adult-use, medical, and cannabinoid hemp industries. OCM is developing regulations on how a person or business can apply for and receive a license. Please see OCM’s website for updates and sign up for updates from SBS about the latest information impacting New York City.

Is cannabis safe to use?

It is now legal for adults 21 and older to possess up to three ounces of cannabis and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis for personal use in New York. Adults may smoke or vape cannabis wherever smoking tobacco is allowed under the smoke-free air laws, with a few exceptions.

Medical cannabis has been legally available to New Yorkers through the State’s medical marijuana program since 2014.

Keep cannabis out of reach of minors. Children have mistakenly eaten cannabis that resembles food. If you have edibles in your home, keep them separate from other food and beverages. Keep all cannabis products in a secure place that cannot be seen or accessed by people younger than 21.

If a child mistakenly eats anything containing cannabis, call the NYC Poison Control Center at 212-POISONS (212-764-7667).

For more information, visit the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Is cannabis use legal for New Yorkers younger than 21?

It is still against the law for people younger than 21 years old to possess, sell, or use any amount of cannabis. Also, no one may legally possess more than three ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrated cannabis, sell any amount without a license, or drive while under the influence or impaired by cannabis.

However, with the permission of a legal guardian or caretaker, people under the age of 21 are eligible to become medical cannabis patients. Learn more about the New York State Medical Cannabis Program here.

Under federal law, cannabis possession and use in all forms remains illegal. For more information on the federal law, visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) website on cannabis and cannabis-derived products.

What are all the licenses in the cannabis market?

In New York State, there are a total of 10 Adult-Use License Types. These include:

• Nursery
• Cultivator
• Distributor
• Processor
• Retail
• Research
• Microbusiness
• Cooperative
• Delivery-Only
• On-Site Consumption

What is the Lift Off! Tour, and how can I get involved?

The Lift Off! Cannabis NYC tour is a cannabis-focused, public education and outreach campaign intended to educate every New Yorker that resides within the 5 boroughs of New York City. Cannabis NYC is on a mission to help the city become a leading global hub for cannabis industry excellence and it’s imperative that all New Yorkers are re-educated about cannabis, including but not limited to New York State (NYS)’s Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA), responsible consumption and storage, NYS Medical Cannabis Program, entrepreneurial opportunities, workforce development, licensing regulation, and other services offered by Cannabis NYC and SBS.

Cannabis NYC is always looking for volunteers at our events. If you are interested, please sign up for email updates from Cannabis NYC.