The possibilities of being one of New York’s first adult-use cannabis retail operators attracted the likes of 903 applicants seeking to enter the forthcoming market, the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced Sept. 28.

The conditional adult-use retail dispensary (CAURD) licenses will “create countless opportunities for our communities and future,” OCM posted on social media Wednesday.

The 903 applications were submitted during a one-time, one-month window that closed Sept. 26, with OCM officials planning to approve up to 150 CAURD licenses they plan to distribute to 14 regions throughout the state. The number of licenses in each region is based on population.

RELATED: New York Announces Number of Conditional Adult-Use Dispensary Licenses, Separated by Region

The CAURD licenses are reserved for businesses owned by justice-involved individuals “at the bedrock of New York’s adult-use cannabis market,” according to OCM. Specifically, applications were limited to those criminalized under prohibition or those who have a direct family member convicted of a cannabis-related offense prior to March 31, 2021 (the date former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act into law).

OCM officials are also limiting CAURD licenses to those who have experience owning and operating a successful business in the state.

While overviewing the CAURD application last month, OCM Chief Equity Officer Damian Fagon said, “New York is the first state in the country to set building a truly equitable and inclusive cannabis industry as its North Star. Every day, we are fighting for the goals and priorities of our cannabis law to deliver opportunity to those most impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition.”

The CAURD licensing program is part of New York’s Seeding Opportunity Initiative, which is financed through a $200-million Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund.

CAURD licensees are positioned to make New York’s first legal cannabis sales before the end of 2022, “speeding the delivery of investments into communities across New York that were impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition,” according to OCM.

OCM will provide CAURD applicants 30 days from the Sept. 26 closing date to amend their submissions before state officials begin scoring the applications.

While the goalposts are positioned for a commercial adult-use sales launch by the end of this year, OCM has not established a firm date for when that launch will happen

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In the weeks following her appointment as chair of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), Shannon O’Brien’s personal and financial stake in a state-licensed cannabis business has come to light.

As the Boston Herald reported Sept. 28, O’Brien is listed as “owner/partner” of Greenfield Greenery in that company’s 2020 application for a cultivation license. Greenfield, a city in western Massachusetts, held a zoning board meeting in June 2021, at which O’Brien represented herself as CEO of the business.

Greenfield Greenery holds a provisional license from the state. But the decision to award Greenfield Greenery with a final license rests on an upcoming inspection of the operations, and a vote by the CCC, the very regulatory body now helmed by O’Brien.

Furthermore, O’Brien is listed as an “adviser” on Charlemont FarmWorks’ cultivation business license application. That company, too, holds a provisional license as of September 2022.

O’Brien arrives as the chair of the CCC following her tenure as former state treasurer (1999-2003), former state senator (1993-1995) and former state representative (1987-1993). She lost the 2002 gubernatorial election to Mitt Romney.

As chair of the CCC, O’Brien’s salary is listed at $181,722.

A Boston Herald columnist jumped on the headline and called for O’Brien’s ouster Sept. 29. 

The CCC has not publicly commented on this news, and the commission has no shortage of important business to attend to. Earlier this summer, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a law that charged the CCC with elevating the state cannabis industry’s diversity and tightening the oversight of host community agreements. Those host community agreements form the backbone of Massachusetts’ version of the local approval process for license applicants. Greenfield Greenery filed its own host community agreement in October 2020.

"You're probably aware of this, that you're joining the commission at a pivotal time," Commissioner Ava Callender Concepcion told O'Brien earlier this month, without knowing perhaps the full ramifications of the CCC’s impending workload.

UPDATE: Following the initial publication of this story, O'Brien provided the following statement:

I am not currently the owner of any marijuana licensee and have not been an owner since December 2021. I helped Charlemont Farmworks get an HCA and a provisional license, but served only as a consultant. I was the CEO and part owner of Greenfield Greenery, also helping gain a HCA, special permit and provisional license.

In December 2021, I signed an attestation giving up all equity, ownership and control of Greenfield Greenery LLC. The company indicated they would submit my attestation with its request for change of control. It is my understanding that this request is being reviewed by the Commission staff.

When I applied to be the Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, I disclosed these relationships.

I have spoken with the State Ethics Commission who advised I have no actual conflict of interest.

Out of an abundance of caution, to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest, I will recuse myself from any deliberations or votes regarding Charlemont or Greenfield Greenery businesses.

I believe my involvement with Charlemont and Greenfield have provided me with insights into the cannabis industry and the regulatory process that will be invaluable to my role as Chair of the Cannabis Commission.

STONEHAM, Mass., Sept. 29, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Theory Wellness announced plans to enter the Vermont adult-use cannabis market with a retail location in Brattleboro. The announcement comes on the eve of adult-use cannabis sales, expected to begin as early as Oct. 1. Vermont will soon become the fourth East Coast state to offer adult-use cannabis sales, joining the likes of Massachusetts, Maine and New Jersey.

RELATED: 3 Vermont Dispensaries to Begin Adult-Use Sales at Their Discretion

Theory is no stranger to emerging adult-use cannabis markets, being one of the first in Massachusetts and opening on day one of adult-use cannabis sales in Maine. However, unlike in the other states, the company intends to focus on retail, a pivot from its vertically integrated models in surrounding markets. 

"Vermont is one of the most interesting regulatory models on the East Coast for cannabis. The emphasis on streamlined licensing for craft farmers will allow for a terrific mix of top-quality products in our dispensary,” Theory CEO Brandon Pollock said. “By focusing on retail, we look forward to showcasing to our customers this unique network of local cultivators, many of which have been producing high-quality flower for years.”

As of today, the Vermont Cannabis Control Board has approved over 200 licenses for cultivation sites across the State. Theory looks forward to serving customers with its location at 768 Putney Road, currently under construction. The location will add new jobs to the town in addition to contributions relating to the 14% in excise taxes on sales.

While there is no official opening date for their Brattleboro dispensary, the company expects to be operational this fall. Its progress and status of the retail location can be found on the company’s website.