When state lawmakers voted to legalize marijuana last March, they gave localities some say in the matter. Cities, towns and villages could choose to ban cannabis dispensaries. They could also choose to ban cannabis lounges that allow on-site consumption. 

More than 600 took them up on the offer.

Tuesday, the state’s recently-formed Office of Cannabis Management released the full list of municipalities that opted out of the program by last month’s deadline.

What You Need To Know

  • New data show 600 localities around the state plan to ban dispensaries, cannabis lounges or both

  • State officials note the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers will still have access to the new industry

  • This week the state expanded its medical marijuana program to include an unlimited number of medical conditions
  • A new $200 million public-private fund will provide funding and support to entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities

Ten small cities chose to ban one or both types of business – just 16.5 percent of all cities in the state. But 419 towns and 171 villages also opted out, making 600 municipalities in total, roughly 40% of the total number statewide.

State officials say the numbers actually point to the potential success of the program, which will give the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers access to a new and potentially lucrative industry. Localities can also opt back in to the program at any time.

“For context, more than 11 million New Yorkers live in cities. And only 118,000 live in cities that have opted out,” said Christopher Alexander, executive director of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management, at Tuesday’s meeting of its supervising body, the Cannabis Control Board. “So we are sure that there will still be wide access to cannabis and to the business opportunities that we’re creating here.”

But it could be a year or longer before any dispensaries open their doors, as the state must go through a laborious process of rule-making and licensing. In the meantime, officials have taken only incremental steps. This week the agency moved to open up its existing medical marijuana program to patients with virtually any medical condition, subject to their doctor’s discretion.

And a new $200-million public-private fund included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget will provide funding and support to entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities.

“A lot of our social equity applicants who we’re trying to help get into this business, who have been disproportionately impacted by the negative over-policing of marijuana laws, this will allow them to get in the business in a way that other states have not been able to achieve,” said board member Reuben McDaniel.

The Office of Cannabis Management is also launching a series of virtual public forums this week called Cannabis Conversations. A forum targeted toward New York City is scheduled for Wednesday, February 2.