On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the New York State Department of Health's (NYSDOH) Cannabinoid Hemp Program opened licensing applications.

In Oct. 2020, the state released regulations for all products containing cannabidiol (CBD) and other hemp-derived cannabinoids for human consumption. Some of these products include food, beverages and dietary supplements. 

NYSDOH also created a Cannabinoid Hemp Program, following the legislation signed by Cuomo last year.

"The program is licensing cannabinoid hemp processors, distributors and retailers and setting quality control standards that all cannabinoid hemp products must meet, including manufacturing, packaging and labeling and laboratory testing requirements," the organization states in a news release.

The program will also assist with the organization of the growing hemp industry in New York, and it will protect consumers from sub-standard and potentially dangerous products, the release states.

Cuomo said in the release that the NYSDOH opening licensing applications for businesses interested in being a part of the hemp industry is a critical step in helping restore and expand the New York economy. The licensing also "gives processors, distributors and retailers the ability to help ensure the hemp industry's long-term viability," he said.

According to the release, there will be two cannabinoid hemp processor license types available, "extracting and manufacturing" and "manufacturing only," which must be acquired by any business extracting or manufacturing cannabinoid hemp in the state, whether in intermediate or final form.

"An ‘extracting and manufacturing’ license permits a processor to extract and/or isolate cannabinoids from hemp to create crude oil, distillate, isolate or other intermediary products for further refinement, and allows licensees to manufacture cannabinoid hemp products," the release states. "A ‘manufacturing only’ license allows processors to purchase crude oil, distillate, isolate or other intermediary products and use it to manufacture cannabinoid hemp products."

Furthermore, if a business is seeking to sell or intends on selling any cannabinoid hemp products to consumers, it must be a licensed retailer, and manufacturers and distributors outside of the state must also receive a permit to sell to retailers in the state, the release states,

For more information on the Cannabinoid Hemp Program or to access an application, click here.