New York’s Blunder on Marijuana Shop Locations Threatens Legal Market Stability

In a glaring example of bureaucratic incompetence, New York State’s cannabis regulators have admitted to misreading critical provisions of marijuana licensing laws, allowing licensed dispensaries to open too close to schools. Now, a dozen dispensaries are suing the state to protect their businesses from being shuttered or forced to relocate—an upheaval stemming entirely from administrative failure. How Did We Get Here? A Breakdown of Regulatory Failure Since New York began licensing marijuana shops roughly three years ago, officials enforced a rule requiring each dispensary to be at least 500 feet away from the nearest school. The problem? Regulators measured this...