New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has continued to grapple with staffing challenges, months after a critical review led to an overhaul by Governor Kathy Hochul. Acting Executive Director Felicia Reid disclosed that the agency remains significantly understaffed, maintaining the same number of employees—180—since April. This revelation comes despite promises of an overhaul and improved operations in the wake of a damning Office of General Services (OGS) report released in May.
The OGS report highlighted inefficiencies in the OCM, including a failure to issue cannabis business licenses to 90% of applicants. The report led to the resignation of former Executive Director Chris Alexander and prompted Governor Hochul to appoint Reid as acting head. Reid has since been tasked with implementing structural changes within the agency, including efforts to hire 65 additional staff members to address the backlog of license applications and improve operational efficiency.
Despite these efforts, progress has been slow. As of August, no new hires had been made, raising concerns about the agency’s ability to regulate the cannabis industry effectively. The OCM is reportedly in the process of hiring 60 employees, yet only 15 vacancies were listed on the state’s job portal. “We are going to prioritize hiring and training new staff capable of strengthening key agency operations,” Governor Hochul stated earlier this year, but the anticipated changes have yet to materialize
The OCM’s staffing woes have been compounded by high turnover, particularly among senior employees involved in health and safety, licensing, and legal matters.
Despite these setbacks, Reid remains committed to reforming the agency. She has restructured staff roles to better align with their skill sets and introduced measures to improve communication and auditing practices within the OCM. However, she acknowledges the challenges ahead, stating, “It’s a process…and we’ve got to make this work.”
Governor Hochul’s office has yet to announce a permanent replacement for the executive director role. As the state’s cannabis industry faces ongoing scrutiny, the effectiveness of these reforms will be crucial in determining its future success.
