Office of Cannabis Management sends cease and desist letters to businesses ‘gifting’ weed

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) sent cease and desist letters to more than two dozen businesses suspected of illegally "gifting" cannabis.

While it’s legal to use marijuana in New York, selling it legally requires a license, however, there is no system in place in New York at the moment to obtain a license to legally sell marijuana.

The OCM says "gifting" is when businesses sell a product or service, including club memberships, to customers and gift them marijuana in return.

The OCM says this practice is illegal under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act and businesses doing it now risk losing their ability to obtain a license in the legal industry once the framework is implemented.

Until a legal framework for businesses to obtain licenses is established, it is only legal to buy and sell marijuana through the state’s Medical Cannabis Program.