New York cannabis merchants urge veto of proposed industry wage board

Licensed marijuana merchants in New York are urging Governor Kathy Hochul to veto proposed legislation that would establish a state cannabis industry wage board. The Safe Affordable Cannabis New York coalition argues that the board would lead to significantly higher prices for legal cannabis and could force the closure of retail shops.

Industry advocates claim the move is a labor union power play. The proposed three-member board would include a representative from the AFL-CIO, a cannabis industry representative, and an appointee from the state Labor Department commissioner. The panel would be responsible for recommending wages across all sectors of the industry.

Critics of the bill suggest that increased costs could disproportionately harm minority-owned businesses, women, and disabled veterans—groups the 2021 legalization law was intended to support. Merchants also warned that higher legal prices might drive consumers toward the illicit market.