That’s no way to thank military heroes!
New York’s disabled vets are seeing red instead of ganga green on the eve of Veteran’s Day — fuming that they have been awarded a paltry 3.5% of all of the state’s cannabis business licenses issued so far, even though they are supposed to be considered a preferred group.
They also have received just 7% of the “social equity” licenses set aside for disadvantaged residents.
“It is totally unacceptable. That is not, ‘Thank you for your service,’ ” said Leo Bridgewater, an army vet and co-founder of Service Disabled Veterans in Cannabis Association.
More than half of the state’s cannabis licenses — 53% — have been awarded to “social and economic equity” applicants so far, according to the state Office of Cannabis Management.
But of that group, 43% of the licenses went to women-owned businesses, 38% to racial and ethnic minorities and just 7% apiece to disabled vets and distressed farmers. Another 5% went to applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs before marijuana was legalized in New York in 2021.
The licenses issued cover merchants in all aspects of the weed business from seed to sale: farmers and cultivators, micro-processors, distributors and retail dispensaries.
Osbert Orduna, CEO of the Queens-based The Cannabis Place and a disabled vet, called the number of licenses doled out to veterans to date “ridiculous.
“It’s inadequate. It’s hugely disappointing,” said Orduna, who was awarded a license and is also a leader in the Service Disabled Veterans in Cannabis Association.
He said there are many disabled vets who earned a business certification from the state Office of General Service who should have been able to obtain a cannabis license.
The state Cannabis Control Board and office of Cannabis Management’s treatment of disabled veterans has long been a sore point — but is an especially sensitive topic this time of year.
Monday is Veteran’s Day, a federally recognized holiday when the nation is supposed to pause to honor its military heroes.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s cannabis regulators were sued last year for giving convicted pot peddlers preference over disabled vets in the awarding of marijuana licenses.
Red-faced state officials settled the case after a judge ruled that the regulators were likely illegally favoring drug felons over disabled vets.
The Office of Cannabis Management had no immediate comment to The Post on Sunday.
But during a meeting last month, regulators appeared generally satisfied with the progress with at least the total number of cannabis licenses awarded to social-equity applicants.
The Disabled Veterans in Cannabis group quickly fired back in a statement, “Disabled veterans do not want a hand out, they want an opportunity to lead and launch their cannabis businesses.
“We believe the OCM should give them the opportunity they earned,” the group said.
