The beginning.
Shortly after the passage of the U.S. Farm Bill in 2018 legalized hemp and hemp-derived CBD, a mutual friend introduced me to New York’s leading authority on CBD and hemp extracts, Allan Gandelman. By January 2019, Allan, myself, and a dedicated team set to work drafting a Hemp Extract bill in Albany under the advocacy organization Allan had founded. Through a labyrinth of challenges, setbacks, and triumphs, the legislation successfully passed both the New York State Assembly and Senate. By the end of 2019, Governor Cuomo signed it into law, creating the first modern hemp extract regulations in the nation.
Advancing the Framework
Then, in 2021, New York took a historic step forward with the passage of the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA), officially legalizing cannabis statewide. Governor Cuomo signed the bill into law on March 31st, a moment that felt akin to the end of Prohibition.
Allan Gandelman and I continued our work with the state, helping to advance state tax reforms including 280E tax relief and successfully advocating for the repeal and replacement of New York’s THC potency tax. As the regulatory framework took shape in 2022, I also lobbied for the approval of botanical terpenes in cannabis products — a key step toward greater product innovation and consumer choice.
The Current Landscape
By 2024, the rollout of New York’s legal cannabis market faced serious criticism and was publicly called a “disaster” by state leadership. I’ve been vocal about the harm this has caused pioneering growers and processors — many of whom I now count as close friends and colleagues.
In response to industry feedback and regulatory hurdles, I collaborated with state officials and legislators to secure a waiver of the seed-to-sale tracking fee as the market transitioned to a new compliance system — an essential adjustment to support operators navigating a complex regulatory environment.
Looking ahead, the next five years promise continued growth in dispensaries, supply chains, and market participation. Yet cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level, meaning meaningful federal reform is still necessary to level the playing field for all industry participants.
