Associated Press
New York’s legal cannabis market has been hampered by inexperienced leaders who treated the agency like a “mission-driven” startup rather than a government office, according to an internal review released Friday. The report detailed several problems at the state Office of Cannabis Management, including constantly shifting licensing rules, poor transparency and an absence of enforcement mechanisms, all of which have stalled the legal market and allowed illicit storefronts to flourish. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has called the state's program a “disaster,” ordered the comprehensive review in March, hoping to address the cascade of bureaucratic stumbles and legal challenges that have plagued the agency.