New Yorkers with marijuana convictions will get to open the state’s first dispensaries

New York’s first weed dispensary licenses will go to individuals who were ensnared by America’s overly aggressive war on drugs. Governor Kathy Hochul is expected to announce today that the first 100 to 200 retail licenses will be awarded to either individuals convicted of marijuana-related crimes or their families.

It’s part of the Hochul administration’s attempts to build New York’s new cannabis industry from the ground up in a way that helps people in communities disproportionately prosecuted for drug crimes by the justice system. The state’s Office of Cannabis Management has loosely sketched out the plans to media, but Hochul is expected to explain the guidelines in greater detail at a press conference today.

In January, Hochul proposed setting aside $200 million to fund “social-equity cannabis businesses.” For this industry, New York defines social-equity businesses to include ones run by minorities, women, veterans, financially distressed farmers, and individuals who have lived in “communities disproportionally impacted by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition.” New York’s goal is to ultimately award 50% of all state licenses industrywide—meaning for not just retail, but also cultivation and other nodes along the supply chain—to social-equity applicants. The $200 million would go a long way toward reaching that goal, and right now, it’s looking as if the New York legislature will approve the proposal. Forty percent of tax revenue collected from New York’s new retail dispensaries has also been earmarked for communities affected by drugs.

To get fast-tracked for one of the first licenses, the applicant must have a conviction that occurred before March 31, 2021—the day the state formally legalized marijuana. The total number of licenses New York plans to issue remains unclear, but the state has said the first wave will go out before year’s end.

However, having a previous conviction isn’t the only thing the state is looking at. The Office of Cannabis Management tells the New York Times applicants will also be evaluated on how likely they are to run a successful business.