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There are updates to homegrown cannabis cultivation in New York state.
According to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management, adult-use cannabis has been legal in New York state since March 31, 2021.
Changes have taken place since then as to what is and isn’t allowed.
“There are people, especially people in their later 40 and 50s, who had their houses raided by people with guns because they were, you know, they had like a small harvest in their backyard. So, a lot of those people, that’s a big reason they want to be staying on the right side a lot," said New York Cannabis Insider’s senior writer, Sean Teehan.
So, what is legal when it comes to cannabis home cultivation in New York?
The OCM says adults ages 21 and up can now grow it at home.
It can be grown in residences that you own or rent.
You can have up to three mature and three immature plants at any one time, but no residence can have more than six mature and six immature plants.
“I look at this as a huge positive for the overall cannabis industry. With home brewing, what you saw as people venturing out and trying new things than their standard grocery store brand, right? And it just really kind of spurred more interest in the category. And I expect that kind of same thing with cannabis," said Mack Hueber, the president of Ayrloom.
“I don’t think there’s going to be anybody who’s not going to go to dispensaries because they’re growing. But I think it does open doors for other ancillary businesses," Teehan said.
Others don’t share quite the same view.
“It’s one step towards allowing people to have access to it, which is a positive thing. It goes against the business interests of the industry. But legalizing cannabis was always about social equity and access for people. So this does fit in with the with the direction they had," said Scott Ugell, a cannabis cultivator.
The Office of Cannabis Management says landlords can only refuse to lease space to or penalize a tenant if they risk losing federal benefits.
The office also stresses taking safety measures and preventing cannabis odor from becoming a nuisance.
