On March 31, 2021, Governor Cuomo signed into law the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). While NYCOM did not take a position on whether adult-use cannabis should be legalized, we were successful in ensuring that cities and villages (1) maintain a significant level of control over how the new law will be implemented within your communities and (2) receive a direct revenue stream if retail dispensaries or on-site consumption establishments are located within your municipality. While the MRTA legalizes the possession and use of cannabis immediately, the actual sale of adult-use cannabis will be heavily regulated by the State and is not expected to begin until late 2022 or early 2023.

In order to assist you in evaluating the potential impact MRTA will have on your municipality, NYCOM has produced the following resources: 

• NYCOM Summary of MRTA, with a particular focus on the issues of greatest concern to local governments, paying special attention to the role local governments will have in the siting of cannabis operations (including opting out of retail cannabis sales), law enforcement powers and training, municipal employee use of cannabis, local government revenue, quality-of-life impacts, social equity and personal cultivation.
• Sample Cannabis Local Law Opting Out of Retail Sales (the opt-out period ends on 12-31-21)
• NYCOM webinar, "New York's Marijuana Legalization: What Does It Mean for Local Governments?" (recorded 4-15-21)

If you have any questions about MRTA or any of these materials, please contact NYCOM General Counsel This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..