Talks on Cannabis in a Big Metropolitans

For years, cannabis sparked heated debate in New York—until the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) transformed that discussion into action. Today, licensed dispensaries operate across the state, and at Royal Leaf, we’re proud to contribute to this era of transparency and safety. The path to legal cannabis wasn’t straightforward. Initially, strict penalties were enforced for cannabis possession. But in 2019, New York decriminalized small amounts—making possession a minor violation rather than a criminal offense. Then came key legislation: In July 2014, the Compassionate Care Act legalized medical marijuana for specific conditions. The major change arrived on March 31, 2021, when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). Legal recreational use was allowed for adults aged 21 and over, automatic expungement of many marijuana convictions began immediately, and the OCM and Cannabis Control Board were established to oversee the regulated industry. Sales began in earnest in late 2022, with New York seeing its first legal recreational dispensary open in Manhattan.