Adam JacksonNew Yorkers aged 21 and older can now legally cultivate cannabis at home for personal use, according to new regulations released by the state’s Office of Cannabis Management.
Under the new rules, individuals can grow up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants at a time, with a maximum of six mature and six immature plants allowed per household. Home cultivation is permitted in residences owned or rented by the grower, including houses, apartments, and other residential spaces. Landlords can only prohibit home cultivation if they risk losing federal benefits, the regulations state.
“We continue to prioritize our market’s expansion, and commitment to our nation-leading cannabis market, by providing New Yorkers with a wide range of choice and opportunity to participate,” Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright said in a statement Tuesday. “Today’s license approvals, and the introduction of home cultivation brings us one step closer to setting a new standard that centers growth, equity, and safety.”
The new regulations also allow for the home cultivation of cannabis by designated caregivers on behalf of medical patients under 21 years of age, subject to the same household limits.
To get started, aspiring home growers can purchase seeds from commercial retailers and immature plants from licensed New York dispensaries, microbusinesses, or other entities authorized by the OCM.
The regulations also set limits on the amount of cannabis that can be possessed at home and carried in public. Individuals can possess up to five pounds of trimmed cannabis at their residence and carry up to three ounces on their person within the state.
Selling, trading, or bartering homegrown cannabis remains illegal under the new rules, the office said.
The OCM advises home growers to take precautions to prevent odors from disturbing neighbors, limit unwanted access, avoid electrical fires, control mold, use pesticides safely, and store cannabis securely away from children and pets.
For more information on home cultivation and other aspects of the state’s cannabis regulations, the OCM says New Yorkers can visit its website or call 1-888-OCM-5151.
The CCB at the same time approved the issuance of 105 additional adult-use cannabis licenses, bringing the total number of permits awarded to 1,117. The new licenses include permits for 171 recreational shops, 115 cultivators, 113 microbusinesses, 74 distributors, and 70 processors.
Legal marijuana shops in New York reported sales of $357.3 million since the market launched in December 2022, with $46.2 million in sales in May alone. The last week of May saw a record-breaking $12.5 million in sales, indicating the continued growth of the legal market.
