ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The New York State Cannabis Control Board has approved the proposed Medical Cannabis Program regulations. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will be filing the regulations in the State Register, which will then begin a 60-day public comment period.
“With today’s action, we’re continuing to swiftly implement critical provisions of the new Cannabis Law to maintain and expand access to the Medical Cannabis Program and the relief it provides to thousands of New Yorkers,” said Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright.
The regulations will implement aspects of the new Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. This includes formally shifting the Medical Cannabis Program from the Department of Health to OCM.
Regulations also include:
- Allowing registered organizations to accept packaging for reuse, including modifying packaging and labeling requirements to support it
- Adding prohibitions to packaging and labeling that advertises to youth
- Removing restrictions on naming conventions for products
- Allowing pharmacists to provide their services remotely while maintaining a minimum pharmacist staffing requirement for each dispensary
- Replacing the requirement that registered organizations maintain continuous video surveillance for 24 hours a day
- Allowing OCM to modify product testing requirements as necessary rather than through regulation
“Already, we’ve empowered practitioners to freely determine if medical cannabis is best for their patients, expanded the types of practitioners who can certify patients, and lowered costs. The regulations issued today build on those successes to reduce environmental waste, further protect our youth, and provide flexibility and efficiencies to the program; helping set it up for long-term success and stability for the patients who rely upon it,” said Wright.
More information about the Medical Cannabis Program can be found on the OCM website.
