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New York Officials Tout $2.5 Billion In Marijuana Sales, Expansion Of Licensed Businesses And More Since Adult-Use Legalization

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8 months ago

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New York officials have released a series of reports that provide a year-end status update on the state’s medical and adult marijuana markets: sales records, state coffers revenue, license approvals, equity initiatives and more.

All told, retail cannabis sales in New York have topped $2.5 billion since recreational legalization was passed, including $1.6 billion generated since November of last year alone. In addition, licensed showrooms almost doubled from 261 in 2024 to 556 in 2025..

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) said the state “continues to exceed” equity goals, particularly with 55 percent of adult use licenses held by Social and Economic Equity (SEE) businesses. Of these, 50 percent are minorities and 47 percent are women.

The reports also touch on enforcement action to mitigate the illegal market. And last year, OCM said it “conducted 2,017 enforcement actions that resulted in the seizure of more than $20 million worth of illegal cannabis products.”

“New York’s cannabis framework was designed to combine strong regulation with meaningful choice, and this year’s Annual Report demonstrates continued progress toward that goal,” said Jessica Garcia, Chair of the Cannabis Control Board (CCB), in a press release. “As the legal market expands, we continue to build an inclusive industry and ensure the benefits of legalization are shared broadly.”

“The launch of initiatives like Community Reinvestment Grants and the CAURD Grant Fund marks a critical step in returning resources to communities disproportionately impacted by the ban while maintaining safeguards that protect consumers and support compliant businesses,” he said.

The OCM annual report also states that Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed legislation expanding the state’s medical cannabis program improving patient access and “updating the program framework to better meet the needs of patients across the state.”

The legislation signed by the governor grants reciprocity to out-of-state residents, streamlines the patient certification process and allows adults 18 and older to grow their own cannabis plants for therapeutic use.

“Looking forward, we remain committed to fulfilling MRTA’s vision through licensing, regulatory reform and the support of social equity applicants,” Garcia said in the report. “We have new types of licenses to issue that will provide additional economic opportunities for New Yorkers.”

“We must improve patient access to the medical program and maintain our commitment to work on this in 2026. We will work with OCM to continue to strengthen our enforcement efforts against the illicit market,” he said. “Finally, we invest in building trust with our stakeholders and the public and aim to strengthen our communications and public engagement efforts, especially as they inform our decision-making process.”

Officials too he stated The state has taken in nearly $341 million in marijuana taxes from medical and adult-use sales from April 1, 2023, to November 30, 2025.

“Sales continue to be concentrated in a limited number of high-performing locations,” he says. “On November 30, 2025, the top 10 stores account for 29 percent of statewide sales, the top 25 for 43 percent and the top 50 for nearly 61 percent. The top 50 percent of all operating stores generate about 80 percent of total sales, reflecting advantages of location, brand presence and operational scale.”

Notably, the report bolsters advocates’ argument that regulating, rather than criminalizing, marijuana sales can deter youth use, despite prohibitionist arguments to the contrary. In fact, the percentage of New York high school students who reported using cannabis in the past month dropped from 20 percent in 2013 (before legalization) to 12.5 percent in 2023.

“This Annual Report reflects the market that New Yorkers have built together over the past year. We’ve expanded access to regulated and tested cannabis products, strengthened consumer protections, and continued to advance an equity-focused market framework,” said Susan Filburn, OCM’s executive director, in a press release.

“Exceeding $2.5 billion in adult-use sales is an important milestone, and looking forward to this growth remains responsible, transparent and grounded in public health and safety, while continuing to provide opportunity and reinvestment in the communities most affected by prohibition,” he said. he said.

“OCM remains committed to responsible growth, transparent regulation, and economic opportunity for all New Yorkers. In 2026, OCM will focus on accelerating licensing and market access for equity entrepreneurs, strengthening compliance and enforcement efforts statewide, and expanding consumer education to promote safer cannabis use and confidence in the regulated marketplace, and to strengthen a safer regulated marketplace.”

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
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Meanwhile, given the confusion in the market about temporary license terms, the CCB said it will extend the renewal period for adult conditional use to December 31, 2026.

“This extension provides more time for licensees to secure viable locations and obtain full licensure,” OCM said. “It will also apply to temporary licenses issued between September 9, 2025 and December 30, 2025, ensuring clarity and consistency for all temporary licensees.”

Part of the uncertainty surrounding provisional licensees a the recently identified zoning issue affects more than 100 cannabis businesses Those located too close to public schools or places of worship than permitted by applicable statute. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said she will push the legislature to change the state’s marijuana law to address the problem.

Additionally, both chambers of the New York legislature passed the legislation last year extend the deadline for electronic tax returns for marijuana companiessending the proposal near the governor’s desk.

If signed into law, the measure would give cannabis manufacturers and distributors an extra 30 days to file their tax returns after the end of each quarterly tax year. Currently, companies have 20 days to submit documents, and the legislation would extend it to 50 days.

In July, New York officials announced First round of grants for $5 million program to support retail marijuana businesses for justice-involved people cover startup costs.

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Fluent to sell New York license and operations

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1 month ago

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July 30, 2026

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Fluent has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Etain, LLC, the Company’s New York-based operating entity. The purchase agreement was signed on July 22, 2026. The transaction provides for the sale of Etain’s Registered Entity license, certain of the Company’s New York operating assets and related New York leases for cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments.

The Company believes the Transaction advances its strategic objectives and expects the Transaction to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in connection with the Company’s previously announced plan of arrangement for Vireo Growth Inc. (the “Deal”) while providing for an orderly transition of the New York operations to an experienced operator committed to serving patients and consumers.

Completion of the free transaction is subject to closing conditions, including, among other customary conditions, approval of the change in ownership by the New York State Cannabis Control Board and the completion of all conditions to the completion of the Agreement.

For more information:
FLUENT Corp
getfluent.com/










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Marijuana Has ‘Horrific Health Risks’ And No Medical Value, Former Trump Attorney General Claims

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1 month ago

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July 30, 2026

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A former US attorney general who served in President Donald Trump’s first term says marijuana poses “tremendous health risks,” has no medical value and should not be rescheduled under federal law.

“Marijuana redistricting would create a false impression that it is safe, reduce penalties for illegally selling the drug, and provide a large tax windfall to those who legally supply it,” William Barr wrote in a Wednesday op-ed for The Washington Post, Kevin Sabet, CEO of the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “That would be a disaster.”

The opinion comes as the Trump administration moves forward with cannabis reregulation.

According to an order issued in April by US Attorney General Todd Blanche, Marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license were immediately changed from Schedule I As did marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

an administrator The hearing is looking at the broader rescheduling of marijuanawith The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been tasked with advocating for cannabis reform highlighting the testimony about the medical benefits of marijuana and its relative safety compared to other substances such as alcohol and opioids. It included appearances by a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientist and a doctor from New Hampshire. Medical marijuana provides relief to pain patients and can serve as an alternative to opioids.

But Sabet and Barr, who served as Trump’s attorney general from 2019-2020, argued that “the evidence presented at the hearing did not support the rescheduling of marijuana” and instead “confirmed what decades of data have shown: raw marijuana has no scientifically established medical value and is highly susceptible to abuse.”

After the parties to the hearing have filed termination rights, the DEA administrative law judge overseeing the proceedings will make a recommendation regarding rescheduling, and the agency administrator will make a final decision.

DEA Administrator Terrance Cole only organizations and individuals opposed to marijuana reform have been invited to the hearing as a designated participant – telling supporters that they do not meet the definition of “interested person” to participate because they have not been “affected or prejudiced by any rule or proposed rule that may be issued.”

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

The former attorney general’s new opinion says “the stakes couldn’t be higher”, arguing that “marijuana today is more dangerous than ever” and that it is “addictive”, throwing out a list of alleged harm to mental and physical health.

“These unhealthy effects are a predictable result of a powerful and addictive drug being normalized, commercialized and marketed as a medicine,” Barr and Sabet say. “It would be one thing if marijuana had medical value. But there is no credible evidence that marijuana is an effective treatment for any medical condition, despite the millions of dollars spent trying to prove otherwise.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252 analysis in 2023 that concluded that marijuana had accepted medical value and should be rescheduled.

The new opposition piece also says that “rescheduling would unlock enormous revenue for the corporate marijuana industry by bringing it into a category that has not been covered by a longstanding reduction in federal drug tax deductions,” referring to a law known as 280E, which repeals Sections I and II.

“This, in turn, would allow the industry to spend even more on advertising and marketing to young people,” Barr and Sabet. he wroteArguing that “those who would lose this dragon in society are laying the foundations for another Big Tobacco”.

The Sabet organization, SAM, is one of several parties Challenging the Marijuana Redistricting Process which have been upheld by a federal Court of Appeals. those separate parts State attorneys general have filed lawsuits against cannabis reform, Opponents of marijuana legalization and a a cannabis-based biopharmaceutical corporation.

SAM’s lawsuit was signed by attorneys at Torridon Law PLLC, where Barr is a partner.

The team announced in January that it was Hiring Barr’s firm to fight cannabis rescheduling After Trump signed an executive order directing officials to quickly complete the process.

During the first Trump administration, Barr was accused by a Justice Department official Directing improper anti-company investigations into multiple cannabis company mergers– Accounting for almost a third of the division’s cases in 2019.

Several Democratic members of Congress introduced a resolution calling for an investigation into Barr’s possible impeachment, saying “abused the power of his office” to improperly investigate marijuana businesses while engaging in other allegedly illegal conduct.

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How much red light does cannabis really need?

Published

2 months ago

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July 26, 2026

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When growers pull out two LED fixtures side by side, the first number they usually discuss is percent red. This is an easy specification to fix. They are efficient at producing red photons and incredibly efficient at photosynthesis, and cannabis eats away at the flower. So more red must be better, right?

Not so simple. Red is an input to a spectrum, and the spectrum is an input to a room. There is no single spectrum that wins everywhere. An indoor room pushes hard, a greenhouse that soaks up sunlight, a temperamental cultivar, and aggressive yields call for something different. Knowing what each light strip actually does allows you to choose a tool that fits your grow instead of one that just has a big number on the sales page.

© JumpLights

Blue: structure
Blue (approximately 400-500 nm) gives shape to the plant. It maintains dense growth, strong stems, tight internodes and allows it to develop as desired. It also encourages stomatal opening, so the plant manages water and gas exchange better. Get blue and you’ve built a plant that can carry heavy flowers with no problem.

Green: access
Green was eliminated as the wavelength is “reflected” by plants. It turns out that it does a real job. Blue and red are absorbed above; the green goes deep into the fat and reaches the leaves that are never touched by the above photons. In a compact room, it’s the difference between plants photosynthesising from the top down and those that work only from the top. Green won’t replace your red or blue, but it does carry usable light where they can’t reach.

Red: engine
Red is the horse of the flower. It absorbs as efficiently as anything in the spectrum, and is responsible for most of the biomass you’re after. Redder generally means faster flower development, more weight and better efficiency per watt.

But red has a ceiling, and it’s tied to what you run. Push PPFD upwards with a heavy red spectrum and some cultivars begin to whiten at the top: the flower should be dense with pale, washed tips. Genetics, intensity, barrel temperature and your general environment all feed into it. If you’re using aggressive light levels, a lower red spectrum will buy you room before that becomes a problem, leaving you almost no photosynthetic punch to get it.

Far Red: More than Emerson
Far-red (700-750 nm) appears in more devices every year. It contributes little to photosynthesis on its own, but it moves plant morphology and works with red through the Emerson Enhancement Effect. Used properly, it helps to deepen the light, encourage uniformity of the canopy and encourage the response of the bloom. The key word is small. A touch of far red rounds out a spectrum; he’s not there to make a show.

Matching the red percentage with the room
Cannabis addresses the entire spectrum, not a line on a spec sheet. Reds cause flowers, but blues, greens and crimsons give the plant something it needs. Where you land in red refers to how you grow.

A lower red spectrum (30-40%) captures more blue and green, gives you better morphology, reduces the risk of photobleaching, and holds up when you’re running extreme PPFD. Moderate spectrum (40-55%) is the sweet spot in commercial greenhouses: strong photosynthetic efficiency, strong flowering, balanced growth. A high-red spectrum (70%+) makes the most sense in a greenhouse, where the sun is already giving you lots of blue and green and your supplemental light can cast effective red to fill the gap.

Where does the ETS MAX series fit in?
This is the thinking behind the JumpLights ETS MAX series. Instead of forcing a spectrum into each room, it rarely comes up because a greenhouse and a high PPFD indoor flower room are not the same problem.

  • ETS MAX 4C41% red: for indoor rooms operating at very high intensity, where photobleaching is a real risk. The wider, red bottom balance allows you to push the tops without overcooking them
  • ETS MAX 4A48% red: balanced internal spectrum that maintains high output while controlling bleaching.
  • ETS MAX 5B57% Red: A high-performance indoor option. Moderate red, marked with efficiency and flower at the same time, up to 3,450 μmol/s, with efficiency that holds the spectrum.
  • ETS MAX 7A76% red: built for the greenhouse. The sun already supplies blue and green, so this leans heavily on the complementary red, up to 3,900 μmol/s in the infrastructure most greenhouses already have in place.

Bottom line
Choosing an activity is not a competition for the highest red number. The winning spectrum is the one that matches your environment, your intensity, your genetics, and what you’re trying to produce. Combine spectrum, intensity, environmental control, light distribution and genetics, and you’ve got a lighting strategy. Keep a spec isolated and all you’ve got is a bright room.

The ETS MAX line was created around this idea: choose the spectrum of the room you actually have, indoor or greenhouse, and let the device work with your grow rather than against it.

For more information:
JumpLights
www.jumplights.com

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