Hudson Valley Mixed On Marijuana Businesses: 2021 In Review

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — 2021 was the year that adult marijuana use was legalized in New York State, but marijuana users in the Hudson Valley will still have to drive to the Berkshires for a while, as rules for licensed retail sales haven't been created yet.

The new Office of Cannabis Management only began operations in September.

According to the new law, adults who are 21 and up can smoke or otherwise consume cannabis and possess up to 3 ounces. New Yorkers with marijuana-related convictions that are no longer illegal will have their records expunged. Selling marijuana without a state license is still illegal.

Businesses will be able to apply for licenses to sell recreational marijuana, grow it or set up "consumption lounges."

However, the law gave towns, cities, or villages a chance to "opt out" of having such businesses in their communities, by voting before Dec. 31 against having marijuana stores and pot pubs within their borders.

Most in the Hudson Valley have done so. In Putnam County, for example, all but one municipality followed the advice of County Executive MaryEllen Odell, who issued an advisory alleging such local businesses would increase drug use by local young people. "County government, unfortunately, has no say in this matter," she said in April.

The Rockefeller Institute of Government has been tracking which municipalities have made the decision to allow or forbid adult-use marijuana businesses. With three days to go, 605 of the state's 1,518 municipal governments have chosen to opt out on dispensaries, while 688 municipalities have voted against having lounges.

Here's a summary of their county-by-county breakdown for the Hudson Valley:

• Dutchess: Seven municipalities voted to allow dispensaries in town while 13 voted against them. Only Beacon voted yes to allowing lounges; 20 voted to opt out. Seven did not take action, which means both sales and consumption establishments will be allowed.
• Orange: Most of its 42 municipalities opted out. Only Woodbury said "yes" to both, while Tuxedo, Warwick and Wawayanda approved dispensaries but not lounges. Another eight did not take action.
• Putnam: In Cold Spring, voters approved dispensaries but not consumption lounges in a referendum Nov. 2. In the other eight municipalities, officials said "no" to both.
• Rockland: Officials in 13 of 24 municipalities did not vote. Chestnut Ridge and Piermont voted to allow dispensaries but not lounges, while Wesley Hills said "yes" to both. Eight towns and villages opted out of both.
• Ulster: Officials in 13 of 24 municipalities did not take votes, and another six voted to say yes to both. Only Esopus voted to opt out of both, while the communities of Gardiner, Kingston and Ulster decided to allow dispensaries but not lounges.
• Westchester: Officials in 29 municipalities opted out of both. Six municipalities did not take votes, and Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Pound Ridge, Sleepy Hollow, White Plains and Yonkers said "yes" to both. Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Greenburgh and Ossining chose to allow dispensaries but not consumption lounges.

The state excise tax on the retail sale of marijuana will be 9 percent and the local excise tax will be 4 percent. Municipalities that allow marijuana sales will get 75 percent of the local tax revenue according to the new law. Counties will receive 25 percent of the local tax.