Letter from the Acting Executive Director
Dear Members of the Cannabis Community, Agency Partners, and Stakeholders: As Acting Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), I am excited to share this Implementation Report, a collaboration between OCM, our State agency partners, and the Cannabis Control Board.
This report gives a status update on OCM’s progress in realizing the vision and goals of the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). It is also a reflection of the agency’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continued improvement. When the MRTA passed in 2021, it was a historic moment. Never before had a state approached the development of its cannabis industry so clear-eyed and intentional about its obligations and responsibilities to its citizens. But making history comes with a deep responsibility to ensure that the foundation for future successes is not only strong, but resilient.
As stewards of Cannabis Law and its promise, OCM takes its responsibility to New Yorkers seriously. The agency is focused on adaptation—building staffing across all divisions as the dynamic needs of New York’s legal cannabis market shift and change.
Candidly, OCM knows there is much work to be done, and we remain undaunted by the task ahead. In simplest form, OCM is a regulatory agency, to be sure—but what that means in conjunction with our public service mission is a matter of being expansive about what we can do. OCM continues to refine its data collection methods, improve customer service and consumer education, prioritize public heath efforts, engage with stakeholders, and work diligently to shut down the illicit cannabis market.
As public servants, OCM also understands that humility and openness to challenge is part of being a responsive, tuned-in, and relevant agency. In this Implementation Report, you will learn more about OCM’s vision, one that applies now and carries into the future. Rooted in equity and a commitment to restorative justice, OCM is actively shaping the next chapter of the market’s potential each day.
Finally, I want to express my deep gratitude for the OCM staff across the state. In the few months I have been leading this agency, I am routinely amazed by the ingenuity, intelligence, drive, and creativity of OCM’s teams, and how deeply folks center OCM’s equity mission in every aspect of their work.
Another thanks to OCM’s incredible State partners, and to Governor Kathy Hochul for the bold trust and confidence that empowers OCM to be an agency that truly serves New Yorkers. To the great future ahead, Felicia A. B. Reid, Esq. Executive Deputy Director and Acting Executive Director, Office of Cannabis Management
Here’s the full report
mrta-implementation-report
