New York cannabis regulators approved a rule that would allow medical marijuana patients to grow and harvest their own plants, making for a cheaper and more accessible alternative.

The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has voted to adopt home grow rules that would allow medical marijuana patients and caregivers to grow and harvest their own cannabis plants. Tuesday’s ruling will go into effect on October 5.

BREAKING: Medical Home Grow has been approved!

✅Certified medical cannabis patients and designated caregivers in New York will now be able to harvest immature and mature cannabis plants. #NYCCB

— NYS Office of Cannabis Management (@nys_cannabis) September 20, 2022

The rule will allow registered medical marijuana patients and caregivers to grow and harvest up to six cannabis plants at a time. They would be able to possess up to five pounds of that cannabis, complying with the state’s cannabis laws.

According to Marijuana Moment, the OCM’s Executive Director, Chris Alexander, said that their office has prioritized medical marijuana patients and that this focus will “continue to be a priority.”

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“I’m just really excited that we’re able to provide this more affordable option to patients to get access to that medicine,” said Alexander.

The state of New York started accepting applications for cannabis dispensaries on August 25th. These licenses, known as Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD), will be awarded to applicants that have been “justice-involved,” meaning that they’ve been negatively impacted by anti-cannabis legislations.

The goal of the OCM is to have some dispensaries up and running by the end of the year. “CAURD licensees are positioned to make New York’s first legal cannabis sales before the end of 2022, speeding the delivery of investments into communities across New York State that were impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition,” reads the official website.

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In the meantime, New York is working hard to make the transition into a cannabis state as seamless as possible. While the drug was legalized in March of last year, it’s taken some time for the state to get all of the pieces in order and establish a functioning legal market.