The official rollout of legal marijuana in New York state has certainly had its ups and downs. While many businesses are up and running, the Office of Cannabis Management is also facing dozens of lawsuits on a variety of topics, and it’s holding up of license reviews is bringing on even more legal action.

What You Need To Know

When New York state legalized marijuana, it created an office designed to oversee the entire industry — the Office of Cannabis Management

OCM created a pilot program in 2023 to help usher in this new world, telling members their work would be rewarded with expedited application reviews. However, he says that promise was broken

Jason Stowell says he’s sat on a storefront for three years, waiting for that review. He says he just wants to start this new part of his life

Trever Sherman owns Ithaca Organics, a cannabis company in the heart of the Finger Lakes.

He’s giving a tour to a man he met a few years ago, Jason Stowell, because owning this type of business is what Stowell has always dreamed of.

“It made my heart pump because this is what I envisioned my small craft cannabis business looking like,” Stowell said.

Stowell thought he was on the right track. Three years ago, he was part of a state pilot program where the new Office of Cannabis Management teamed up with experienced growers and hopeful ones to help cultivate this new world.

It was known as the Cannabis Compliance Training and Mentorship Program.

“CTTM applicants were one of the first group of people to really be trained by the agency to enter this industry,” Stowell said.

And through that program, Sherman would become Stowell’s mentor.

But now, three years later, long ready to go, Stowell is still in limbo.

Promises made to program members for expedited application reviews were promises that, according to Stowell, were broken.

“These groups, these individuals will be prioritized for certain licenses in the current window and in future applications,” Damian Fagon, the former chief Equity Officer of OCM, said during a 2023 meeting.

He’s now paying for a storefront his application required, despite the fact he says that paperwork still has not even been looked at.

“I’m trying to stay positive about it,” Stowell said. “Just like, hey, give us our opportunity.”

But his patience wore thin, and he is now one of a group of program members suing the Office of Cannabis Management.

And while he says he cannot talk about that lawsuit, his mentor just wants to see him succeed.

“It’s really important to, you know, give these guys a chance, especially someone like Jason, who’s gone so far already,” Sherman said.

And that group is not alone.

More than 50 lawsuits have been filed against the office in just the last 15 months, ranging from policy concerns to enforcement and even location.

And while OCM says it does not comment on pending litigation, previous leadership has said that lawsuits are part of the reason license reviews are being held up.

Whatever the reason, Stowell just wants his chance.

“We’re ready. And, we’d like to participate,” he said.

And no matter how long it takes, Stowell says he is not going away. He says he’s in this until his dream becomes reality.

The Office of Cannabis Management, which was created in 2021, saw its original executive director fired in 2024, and then its acting director was forced to resign in December.

John Kagia is currently serving as the acting executive director for the Office of Cannabis Management and he now leads the team responsible for policy development and implementation for the medical, adult-use and cannabinoid hemp programs in New York.