While recreational marijuana may finally be legal in the state of New York, cannabis-infused food is another story.
State officials are debating whether to allow pizzerias and other eateries to sell fresh cannabis-infused grub and packaged pot edibles according to The Post.
Aaron Ghitelman, a spokesman for the state Office of Cannabis Management, confirmed there have been discussions about awarding such licenses to food preparers.
However, “the regulations regarding infused food products have not been released yet,” Ghitelman added.
It was last year that New York passed a bill legalizing recreational marijuana. The first licenses to sell weed will be issued in the fall, with sales in neighborhood stores to begin by the end of 2022.
According to State Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), having eateries like pizzerias using cannabis was not a hot topic when she worked on the bill, but it’s not explicitly prohibited, either.
“Of course cannabis with edibles is not a new concept,” Krueger said.
“We’ve been advocating for on-license cannabis sales for restaurants and nightlife establishments. New York is the culinary capital of the world,” said Max Bookman, an attorney with the NYC Hospitality Alliance.
Bookman said his organization has been advocating for on-license cannabis sales for restaurants and nightlife establishments.
“But denying establishments from having both a liquor and cannabis license killed our buzz,” he said, adding, “we’re waiting to see the regulations.”
“Adults must be 21 to purchase legal cannabis products from a licensed dispensary, which is held to intense regulatory and compliance standards beyond what pizzerias or other restaurants may be able to do compliantly without incurring additional operating expenses,” said spokeswoman, Bethany Moore.
