The New York Cannabis Control Board voted to settle a lawsuit brought by a Michigan company that has for seven months prevented any new licenses from being awarded in five state regions.
New York Regulators Approve Settlement of Lawsuit Blocking Cannabis Licenses
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The New York Cannabis Control Board (CCB) on Tuesday voted to settle a lawsuit brought by a Michigan company that has so far prevented the awarding of cannabis licenses in five regions for seven months, Spectrum News reports. The lawsuit filed by Variscite NY One had affected 63 of the 150 licenses set to be awarded to social equity applicants and prohibited licenses from being granted in the region along with Brooklyn, Central New York, the Finger Lake region, the Mid-Hudson Area, and Western New York, although in March a New York Appeals Court Judge narrowed the injunction to just the Finger Lake region.
State Sen. Jeremy Cooney, who chairs the Senate Cannabis Subcommittee, told Spectrum News that he is “relieved and pleased” about the settlement.
“Hopefully, we can put this roadblock for the Finger Lakes Region behind us and focus on creating safe and legal access to recreational cannabis for adults in Greater Rochester. Public safety cannot be achieved in our state until all New Yorkers – including those of us in the Finger Lakes Region – can walk into a legal dispensary and purchase cannabis products that have been tracked and tested.” — Cooney via Spectrum
In a statement, Aaron Ghitleman, spokesman for the Office of Cannabis Management, noted that while the board had voted to authorize the settlement, the agreement has not yet been finalized and regulators would have “more to share” once the deal clears final approval.
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