New York regulators on Monday awarded 15 licenses for adult-use cannabis processors, a key step in the path to the launch of legal recreational marijuana sales slated for later this year. New York’s Cannabis Control Board issued the licenses to businesses already licensed as cannabinoid hemp processors, giving the businesses the opportunity to function as an integral facet of the state’s fledgling regulated marijuana industry.

“Processors aren’t just an important part of the cannabis supply chain, they are creators, who take a raw plant and transform it into tested, consistent, high-quality products that consumers can trust,” Tremaine Wright, chair of the Cannabis Control Board, said in a statement quoted by local media. “When we open New York’s first stores, owned and operated by New Yorkers harmed by the misguided criminalization of cannabis, the shelves will be lined with infused edibles, topical creams and concentrated oils. None of those products would be possible without these first processors launching New York’s cannabis industry.”

The hemp processors awarded licenses to process adult-use cannabis are required to participate in a mentorship program designed to provide entrepreneurship opportunities, encourage sustainable practices in the cannabis industry and ensure that those with convictions for marijuana-related offenses have a path to participation in the regulated industry.

“New York is launching our cannabis industry the right way, and our cannabis processors are an integral part of that,” Office of Cannabis Management executive director Chris Alexander said in a statement. “These processors aren’t just expanding their own businesses, they are committed to also mentoring the next generation of cannabis processors. They’ll be teaching vital manufacturing skills to those with a passion for cannabis who will take our state’s industry to the next level. New York’s entire cannabis ecosystem will create opportunities for those who have been shut out of jobs and industry, and will bring those skills to communities across the state.”

Troy Datcher, CEO of California licensed cannabis company The Parent Company, said that awarding New York’s first cannabis processor licenses is an encouraging and essential step in the launch of the state’s adult-use market later this year. But he noted that the state’s cannabis regulations, which are currently being drafted, must reflect the realities of an entrenched illicit market.

“We appreciate that these first cannabis processors in New York will be providing mentorship to social equity applicants to enable broader participation in the state’s industry,” Datcher wrote in an email to High Times. “However, as we’ve learned in California, it is critical that we create a policy environment that gives these businesses a chance to succeed. In particular, we need to ensure that the state’s advertising and packaging regulations do not make it impossible for these processors to make products that meet consumer needs. Given the lack of restrictions on New York’s untested, illicit cannabis market, it is important that we take steps to help legal businesses succeed.”

New York Initiative Fosters Social Equity in Cannabis

The cannabis processors mentorship program is part of New York’s Seeding Opportunity Initiative, which Governor Kathy Hochul launched earlier this year to help facilitate social equity in the cannabis industry. The initiative guarantees support for equity applicants and secures investment in communities most impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition.

“New York State is making history, launching a first-of-its-kind approach to the cannabis industry that takes a major step forward in righting the wrongs of the past,” Hochul said when the initiative was launched in March. “The regulations advanced by the Cannabis Control Board today will prioritize local farmers and entrepreneurs, creating jobs and opportunity for communities that have been left out and left behind. I’m proud New York will be a national model for the safe, equitable and inclusive industry we are now building.”

The Cannabis Control Board also approved an additional 19 conditional adult-use cannabis cultivator licenses on Monday, bringing the total number of growers to 242. Ryan Smith, CEO and co-founder of cannabis wholesale platform LeafLink, said that New York’s cannabis regulation is shaping up to be a model for the nation.

 “New York State is taking another encouraging step towards establishing an equitable cannabis ecosystem to right the wrongs of the War on Drugs,” Smith wrote in an email. “Based on our experience operating in over 25 states and territories, early supply constraints continue to be an issue when a market launches. We applaud the state’s Cannabis Control Board for prioritizing equity, transparency, efficiency, and consumer choice, and look forward to seeing New York’s adult-use market come online.”

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On March 15, the cannabis brand owned by Seth Rogen, Houseplant, announced its plans to mentor local cannabis businesses. The brand recently sent out a wave of emails to subscribers advertising the opportunity. “Social responsibility is at the core of Houseplant’s mission, which is why we’re always looking for new ways to give back to the cannabis community,” the email stated. “Last year this led to the creation of a pilot program we called In-House where we provided resources and guidance to cannabis entrepreneurs from underinvested-in communities.”

On the website, the brand explains more about the goal of this program. “Houseplant’s ‘In-House’ program is a mentorship program focused on helping individuals disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs receive a fair and equal chance to succeed in the cannabis industry,” the application reads. “The free, six-month-long program allows burgeoning cannabis entrepreneurs (from both ancillary and plant-touching companies) intimate access to the Houseplant team, as well as the company’s extensive network of advisors and industry leaders.”

The program is described as a part time commitment, with an estimated 5-10 hours per month. Among basic contact information about an individual’s cannabis business, it asks if the candidate has a social equity license in California, and if not, asks about past experiences: “Do you consider yourself (or other founding members of your team) to have been negatively impacted by the criminalization of cannabis?”

The application is brief, and the only difficulty might be trying to sum up the question “What is the biggest challenge your company is facing right now?” in only 150 words. The application window is open until May 1, 2022.

Houseplant has already begun this program with mentee Moises Estrada of Itty Bitties, who shares that he was pleased with the mentor experience. “[The mentors] made themselves extremely accessible,” he says. “I know about cultivating, but I needed help with running a business, and [In-House] gave me a ton of insight,” he said, according to the Houseplant email.

Houseplant, founded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, launched in March 2019 in Canada through a partnership with Canopy Growth. Two years later, the partnership ended, and Houseplant later launched its line of products in California in March 2021.

Seth Rogen has been involved in other advocacy and support missions, such as the Cannabis in Common campaign that launched in November 2021. Alongside Sarah Silverman, he appeared in a video explaining the current state of cannabis in the U.S. and the importance of contacting state representatives to achieve federal legalization. “Despite what you may have heard, Americans can actually agree on something. And that something is weed,” Rogen said. “…You know who cannot agree on anything though? Politicians. So despite the fact that 69 percent of us want cannabis legal, less than half of Senators have come out in favor. In fact, some won’t even say where they stand on the issue at all.”  He concluded his statement by calling cannabis consumers of the country to act now. “Legalizing cannabis for good is long past due, but if we make enough noise, we can make it happen.”

Both Rogen and Goldberg will be working together on an announced NBC Project, according to IMDB. The duo are executive producers on numerous other projects, such as The Boys spinoff and Darkwing Duck. Additionally, Rogen and his wife Lauren Miller Rogen recently received the “Public Leadership in Neurology Award” for their support for families impacted by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease—an honor previously also awarded to public figures such as Michael J. Fox, Julie Andrews, Emilia Clarke, and many more. The Rogens have also raised more than $15 million for the cause through their nonprofit organization, Hilarity for Charity.

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