Licensing

Under a budget proposal from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), medical cannabis operators would have to pay a $15 million licensing fee to participate in the adult-use market.

Minnesota cannabis officials announced that the state’s first cannabis licensing lotteries have been scheduled for June 5.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has asked state regulatory and law enforcement officials to coordinate an effort against intoxicating hemp products, which he called a danger to public health and safety.

An Alabama court ruling has overturned the 2023 issuing of medical cannabis business licenses by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission.

The first state-licensed cannabis lounge to open its doors in Nevada — Smoke and Mirrors, located in Las Vegas — has shut down after about 14 months of operation.

The state auditor of Kentucky has launched an investigation into the lottery-based licensing process used for the state’s new medical cannabis program.

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering eight different bills that seek to raise the cap on cannabis dispensary licenses in the state, potentially doubling or tripling the number of dispensaries allowed per licensee.

New York cannabis officials are investigating whether one of the state’s licensed processors is creating products using cannabis laundered from other state markets.

In a recent ruling, a Minnesota judge ordered officials to proceed with the social equity cannabis pre-licensing lottery that the state previously abandoned amid multiple lawsuits.

Dasheeda Dawson, the founding executive director of Cannabis NYC, announced last week she was stepping down as New York City’s “cannabis czar.”

The FBI has denied the process for federal background checks laid out by Delaware’s cannabis legalization policy, sending state lawmakers and officials scrambling to rework the adult-use program’s licensing requirements.

Michigan cannabis regulators have revoked the license of cannabis processor Flavor Galaxy and barred the company’s owners from applying for new licenses, working in the industry, or holding any ownership stakes in a licensed Michigan cannabis business.

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals has voided four more temporary restraining orders on the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission concerning its medical cannabis licensing actions.

The website for submitting cannabis business license applications to the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management was unexpectedly shut down just a few short hours before the application window’s scheduled finish.

Two proposals in the Nebraska Legislature seek to establish regulations, taxes, and licenses for the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis program.

A key Utah Senate committee last week advanced a proposal containing minor expansions to the state’s medical cannabis program.

The Missouri cannabis company that had its license revoked following the recall of 63,000 products it manufactured has lost its appeal to reinstate its license.

Hopeful Minnesota cannabis licensees can now submit their adult-use business applications. The application window will remain open until March 14.

About half, 47%, of the annual adult-use cannabis licenses in New Jersey have been awarded to majority minority-owned businesses, according to data from the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Delaware’s top cannabis regulator is stepping down this month just weeks after officials awarded the state’s first retail adult-use cannabis licenses.

The number of medical cannabis operators in Oklahoma dropped by one-third over the last year as the industry entered its second year of downturn under a moratorium on new licenses set by lawmakers in 2022.

The Delaware Office of the Marijuana Commissioner has awarded the state’s first 15 adult-use dispensary licenses. The winners were selected by lottery from a pool of 529 applicants.

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals confirmed that Alabama regulators had “properly exercised” their power when rescinding medical cannabis licenses awarded under the state’s initial cannabis licensing round.

Kentucky cannabis regulators have announced the state’s final 12 medical cannabis dispensary license winners, awarded via a lottery of over 4,000 applicants.