New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to legalize recreational marijuana includes some business permitting and market constraints as well as taxes, according to budget documents released this week.
Legislation hasn’t been introduced yet.
But Cuomo’s initial plan includes these general proposals, according to his budget briefing book and the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle:
- Separate licenses for MJ growers, distributors and retailers.
- A prohibition on growers from owning retail stores.
- License priority to businesses owned by minorities, women and “struggling” farmers, according to the Democrat & Chronicle.
- An option for counties and cities to ban retail stores.
- Three taxes: A grower tax of $1 per gram of cannabis flower and 25 cents per gram of cannabis trim; a wholesale tax of 20%; and an additional 2% wholesale tax collected on behalf of the county where a retail store is located.
The plan suggests the earliest sales could begin would be April 1, 2020, the Democrat & Chronicle reported.
