Another day, another black eye for the state’s cannabis industry.
Chris Alexander, the executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management, officially resigned recently, after Gov. Kathy Hochul said in early May that she would not reappoint him to his post come September. Alexander said he did not see how he could continue his work, knowing that the governor felt he was responsible for how the state’s legal cannabis rollout has gone so far, a process she has called “a disaster.”
If the governor wants to ensure the cannabis market picks up the pace, she should be speedy in replacing Alexander.
According to our sister publication Green Market Report, Alexander had both supporters and detractors in the local marijuana community, with some in favor of his support of a social equity focus to the market, and others blaming him for how slowly the recreational sales industry has gotten underway.
To date the OCM has overseen the launch of 130 legal marijuana shops in New York, a minuscule amount compared with estimates of up to several thousand illegal cannabis stores operating statewide.
Although it is clear that there have been major issues with the launch of the adult-use marijuana market, with a recent report issued by the Office of General Services detailing the OCM’s shortcomings and missed opportunities, the last thing that will make the agency run smoothly is a leadership vacuum. It makes sense that the governor would want it known, in light of the report’s findings, that she is not OK with the sustained wrinkles in the cannabis market, an industry that had lofty goals of social justice that may have stood in the way of its progress.
One of the best ways to tamp down the illegal market will be to offer far more legal options. Quickly finding someone who will work to open legal dispensaries without catering to the needs of already-established cannabis companies, a worthy goal of the state’s to help people previously incarcerated for marijuana crimes benefit from the legal industry, is key.
Furthermore, the state is finally making some headway on enforcement of illegal shops. But the effort could be wasted without a trusted leader to make sure it remains a priority. The worst thing that could happen is for the role to stay open for months, putting the industry at risk of falling further behind.
The governor has a great opportunity to showcase that she means it when she says she wants to fix the legal industry’s botched rollout. Otherwise the illegal market, which has proved it can indeed move quickly, will continue to overshadow the regulated one.
The Editors , 2024-05-31 21:32:14
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