ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — New York’s Cannabis Control Board announced that there will be an opening date for applications for general adult-use cannabis licenses.

On Tuesday, the board held a meeting and said that applications will be available through the New York Business Express (NYBE) platform beginning October 4. These applications include cultivator, processor, distributor, microbusiness, and retail dispensary licenses.

Additionally, Adult-Use Cannabis Cultivator and Processor licenses that are in good standing can apply to transition to non-conditional licenses via the NYBE portal.

Jeffrey Hoffman, a cannabis attorney based out of New York City, says a number of unknowns remain for CAURD applicants recently approved, and those still waiting to do business.

“It’s now going to be compounded by opening up the full application process. The CAURD applicants are running around wondering, ‘Are our current licenses good? Are we going to have to reapply?’ It’s a lack of information in a place where there should be nothing but information,” said Hoffman.

Those part of New York’s CAURD program expressed frustration on the continued hold-up at Tuesday’s meeting.

“We don’t have the ability to hold tight while government figures things out. We put everything into this. We are hurting and by no fault of our own. We followed the prescribed and mandated process. We followed the rules only to be abandoned by the system,” said Jillian Dragutsky, co-chair of the New York CAURD Coalition Women’s Committee.

The first window for the general retail application will be active for 60 days, but OCM will be reviewing submissions that apply after 30 days in order to fast-track retail licensees who have already secured a location.

This announcement comes as the Office of Cannabis Management is facing a lawsuit filed by four veterans alleging that the application process has left them out. The lawsuit also placed an injunction on OCM issuing CAURD licenses. News 8 has reached out to the state to learn more on how this will affect CAURD applicants and has not heard back.