The following statement can be attributed to the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association

Our members commend Governor Hochul for finally releasing a bill that bolsters the state's ability to enforce the rules of the legal cannabis market. Enforcement against unregulated bad actors is critical to protecting and expanding the state's struggling medical cannabis program and a key for launching an affordable, accessible, and competitive adult-use cannabis market.

As the state moves to establish a robust, well-regulated, and safe adult-use program, it is equally critical that the existing medical program is supported.  Indeed, the program suffers in large part due to competition from the proliferation of illegal pop-up shops.  Removing the 7 percent excise tax from medical cannabis products, as the Senate has proposed in its one-house budget resolution, would further this goal by helping patients more easily afford the medications they rely on.