By: Hal C Clarke

As first reported by the New York Post— Boris Jordan, the CEO of Curaleaf and a key early player in New York’s medical marijuana industry, is accusing Gov. Kathy Hochul and state cannabis regulators of turning their backs on the very companies that helped launch the state’s legal weed market.

In a scathing interview with the New York Post, Jordan called the state’s actions “un-American,” claiming that established operators like his are being boxed out of the adult-use market they helped create. As the Post first reported, Jordan’s company was one of the earliest “seed-to-sale” providers for medical patients — but now faces financial and regulatory roadblocks when trying to expand into the broader consumer marketplace.

According to the New York Post, converting just three Curaleaf medical locations into adult-use dispensaries could cost up to $15 million. Six of the 10 original medical marijuana license holders, the Post reported, have chosen not to enter the adult-use market due to these costs. Jordan warned that these financial barriers were specifically designed to prevent medical operators from transitioning into the recreational market, leaving them at a severe disadvantage compared to newer businesses entering the market.

Jordan also highlighted a key issue that the New York Post first brought to light: the influx of illicit cannabis from out of state. As the Post noted in its coverage, some legal shops are reportedly selling marijuana grown outside of New York — bypassing the state’s law requiring locally sourced cannabis. Jordan expressed frustration with state regulators, stating that they are failing to enforce the rules and are allowing the black market to thrive.

“The state isn’t doing anything about it,” Jordan told the Post. “It’s a disgrace.” According to Jordan, the presence of cheaper, illegally sourced marijuana in the marketplace is making it harder for legal businesses to compete on price, further undercutting the success of companies that have invested heavily in New York’s legal cannabis market.

As first reported by the New York Post, Jordan also accused the state of unfairly prioritizing so-called “social equity” applicants, who are given licenses based on past marijuana convictions or ties to communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. While Jordan acknowledged the importance of social equity, he argued that the state’s emphasis on these applicants is creating an unfair playing field for businesses that helped establish the legal cannabis industry.

“I’m not against competition,” Jordan told the Post. “I’m against unfair competition.” He continued by saying that the state’s policies are effectively pushing businesses like his out of the market. As reported by the Post, Jordan’s company was a key player in launching the state’s medical marijuana program in 2016, and now he feels like he’s being punished for that pioneering work.

The Post also reported that New York’s medical cannabis patient count has plummeted from 150,000 in 2021 to fewer than 100,000 today, while adult-use shops have exploded statewide — making it even harder for legacy medical operators to survive. As the Post noted, the total number of medical dispensaries has dropped from 38 to 32, while recreational licenses have soared past 380, further diluting the market for medical operators.

Gov. Hochul’s office defended the state’s approach in a statement to the Post, arguing that the vertical integration model used by medical operators already gives them significant advantages over newer players in the adult-use market.

Jordan told the New York Post. “It’s very un-American. This isn’t the country I grew up in.”