New York Regulators Approve Cannabis Home Grow Rules

New York cannabis regulators passed new rules on Friday to establish the right for adults to grow cannabis at home, the Times Union reports. The rules are set to undergo a 60-day public comment period before taking effect.

Regulators also approved 109 new cannabis licenses on Friday, including 38 for retailers, according to the Democrat and Chronicle.

Lawmakers included the right to cannabis home grows in the state’s 2021 legalization law but the policy did not take effect immediately — instead, regulators were given 18 months from the first licensed sale to lay out and implement the provisions.

Under the new rules, adults aged 21 or older will be allowed to grow up to six mature and six immature cannabis plants at their home, regardless of the number of people living there. While New York‘s legalization policy already allows adults to possess up to three ounces of cannabis flower, the new rules expand the limit to up to five pounds of “cannabis flower that has been trimmed from plants, which have been cultivated in or on the grounds of said person’s private residence.” Additionally, licensed adult-use cannabis retailers in the state will also be allowed to start selling cannabis plants to customers, the report said.

Officials previously said that delaying access to cannabis home grows would benefit the state’s retail cannabis market but the industry has been far more beleaguered by rampant unlicensed sales. The governor has the state’s cannabis industry roll-out a “disaster” and said the slow launch of licensed sales benefited the illicit market.

Regulators stated they did not expect that allowing cannabis home grows would have a major effect on licensed retailers.