New York State legalized medical cannabis in 2014. Since then, its governor has been trying to legalize adult-use cannabis. Legalization failed in 2019 for many reasons, including disagreements over the sharing of tax revenues from legal cannabis sales.
New york therefore decriminalized in 2019 at first and then finally legalized in 2021. Legal sales are scheduled to begin in 2023.
All the states east of New York have already legalized cannabis. It also borders Canada, where cannabis is legal since October 2018.
Legal
Cannabis is legal in New York for adults over 21.
Which US states have legalized cannabis?After nearly legalizing cannabis in 2019, New York passed S854-A, the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), in March 2021. The bill legalized the purchase, possession and transportation of up to 3 ounces (85 grams) of weed and up to 24 grams of concentrate for adults 21 and older. The MRTA also created the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), charged with overseeing the state's medical, adult-use and hemp programs.
The MRTA was drafted to address the harms of the war on drugs, setting a goal of awarding 50 % cannabis business licenses candidates for social and economic equity, as well as implementing provisions for automatic expiation and re-sentencing.
Medical cannabis was legalized in 2014 under New York's Compassionate Care Act, or S7923, for patients with qualifying conditions.
Cannabis has technically been legal since 2021 in New York for adults 21 and over. They can possess 3 ounces (85 grams) of weed and up to 24 grams of concentrate. The law was passed in March 2021, and as of December 2022, New York is in the early stages of licensing adult-use businesses. The Office of Cannabis Management said it expects licensed retailers to start selling in early 2023.
Eligible patients must first be certified by a practitioner registered with the Department of Health. Patients must be New York residents or temporarily residing in the state for medical treatment.
Once certified, patients create an online account to obtain a state registry identification card.
Below is the list of qualifying conditions for patients in New York's medical cannabis program. Notably, the CMO has expanded the list of qualifying conditions to allow certified practitioners to recommend medical cannabis for any condition they feel can be treated with cannabis.
More than a year after concerns emerged about cannabis from other states entering the New York legal market, New York state lawmakers...
Five years after the passage of the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), New York State has now surpassed 3.3 billion...
According to data from the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), the number of licensed stores has more than doubled in one year in New York State....
According to a new study, adults with chronic pain who participated in the New York State Medical Cannabis Program (NYS) were...
New York has officially crossed the threshold of 500 legal adult-use cannabis dispensaries, a symbolic moment for a market that has spent nearly...
Zohran Mamdani's rise from Kampala to the mayor's office in New York illustrates the emergence of a new generation of politicians who refuse to accept the status quo. Since his election...
The legal cannabis market in New York continues to grow at a record pace. In August 2025, sales reached 214.4 million...
The High Times Cannabis Cup is officially back! For the first time in New York, the selection process will be open to the public, making...
According to figures presented this week by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and the Cannabis Control Board (CCB), the state has surpassed $1 billion in...
New York State's legal cannabis market is under scrutiny following revelations that products from other states...
New York State officials are considering expanding licensing rules to allow the sale and consumption of cannabis in indoor...
New York's fledgling legal cannabis market is looking to gain momentum by facilitating the entry of out-of-state operators and allowing the sale of...
New York senators, led by Democratic Senator Gustavo Rivera and four co-sponsors, have introduced a bill to broadly decriminalize the possession...
New York State on track to reach $1 billion in cannabis sales by 2024. A year of expansion The Council of...
New York City and State have announced that they have closed more than 1,000 illegal cannabis retailers thanks to the concerted efforts of several agencies and...
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday a complete overhaul of the state's cannabis regulatory agency, following the...
New York's cannabis industry is in limbo following a major court ruling that initially appeared to overturn a wide range...
Residents of the U.S. state of New York are one step closer to being able to grow their own cannabis after the U.S. Council of...
The New York State Cannabis Control Board will issue nearly 1,500 cannabis licenses as soon as the filing window opens....
The agency responsible for regulating cannabis in New York State has finally decided to open up the New York cannabis market to all applicants, including...
