New York Judge ruling represents major setback in state’s legal cannabis industry

ALBANY, NY- A ruling by a New York Judge represents a significant snag in the state’s legal marijuana industry.

New York Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bryant has blocked the state from processing or issuing marijuana dispensary licenses with an injunction that faulted regulators for creating a program that is at odds with the state law that legalized the drug.

This development is according to the Associated Press.

The ruling stems from a group of Veterans, who sued over regulations allowing those with drug convictions to open the first dispensaries.

The lawsuit alleges that state cannabis regulators failed to properly limit the first round of licenses to people with prior marijuana convictions, rather than a broader group of so called social equity applicants included with the law.

Attorneys for the state have reportedly reached out and warned Judge Bryant that any halting of the licensing program would cause financial harm to those spending money to anchor their business with a provisional license.

Legal challenges and an dragging rollout of licenses have cannabis farmers complaining that there aren’t enough legal sellers to take in their crop.

New York Department of Ag & Markets image.