ALBANY — Key stakeholders in New York’s marijuana industry have formed a coalition to oppose recently approved legislation seeking to establish a three-member board that would be tasked with recommending a minimum wage for workers across the cannabis sector.
The Safe and Affordable Cannabis for New York association includes medical cannabis operators, farmers, processors, and retailers who are hopeful that Gov. Kathy Hochul will not sign the legislation, which they said could undermine the success of an industry that has struggled to make profits in the five years since marijuana was legalized.
Joe Calderone, president of the Cannabis Farmers Alliance, said the legislation, which was passed with pressure from labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, “ignores the economic reality facing cultivators across New York.”…