The idea is that there would be uniform standards for market regulation, including:
- Licensing.
- Taxation.
- Minority participation.
- Small-business participation.
- THC potency.
But how realistic is it that the Northeast could, in effect, become a regional bloc that legalizes adult-use marijuana with a unified regulatory framework?
While the effort could serve as a model for cannabis coordination in other regions of the United States, the population density and relatively small geographic footprint of the Northeast makes competition – as exemplified by customers crossing borders – a major impetus to cooperation.
Marijuana Business Daily asked five cannabis experts in the region to offer their takes on the topic.
They generally lauded the governors’ efforts but noted that hurdles remain because of the different political dynamics in each state.
Democratic governors Andrew Cuomo of New York, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania and Ned Lamont of Connecticut attended the summit last week in New York City.