From New York to Maryland: A Journey in Cannabis Leadership
Download MP3Welcome to joint session Diverse Voices in New York State Cannabis, the podcast where policymakers, legislators, thought leaders, licensees, and advocates come to discuss the evolving landscape of cannabis in New York and beyond. I'm Herb Barbeau, former Director of Operations in New York's Office of Cannabis Management. Each episode we bring you in-depth conversations with key voices shaping policy, business and advocacy, plus expert insights on the latest developments impacting the industry. And now for the episode. Welcome to episode three of season two of Joint Session.
Herb Barbot:This is Herb Barbeau. In this episode, we are extremely pleased and fortunate to speak with Tabitha Robinson, formerly from the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, and now the director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration in one of her first interviews. But first, a little spin around the news. During this past week, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services put out an RFP for a cannabis market and economic impact study to determine whether or when the department will be required to issue additional cannabis facility licenses, and if so, how many, where, and of what type. State law allows regulators to increase the number of cannabis licenses in the state if necessary to meet demand and to ensure a competitive market while also preventing an overconcentration of marijuana facilities within the boundaries of any particular local government.
Herb Barbot:Beyond licenses, regulators want the study to look at the overall economic stability of the regulated market, including strengths and risks with a special emphasis on the regulated market's impact on economically distressed areas of the state. Smart move Missouri. The show me state says, show me the data. Also in Missouri this week, state auditor Scott Fitzpatrick called on the Missouri Department of Revenue to do a better job of ensuring tax compliance in the state's growing cannabis industry. Even though the first sales of medical marijuana began in October 2020 and the first sales of adult use marijuana began in February 2023, the Department of Revenue has not conducted any audits of marijuana tax returns as of January 2025.
Herb Barbot:The department told Fitzpatrick they are working on it. With the significant growth we've seen in the marijuana industry, it's important the department provides proper oversight of marijuana tax returns to identify potential fraud and give the public confidence that taxes are being collected as required by law, said Fitzpatrick in an announcement. Now is probably a good time for folks at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to take note. Despite the first sentence in its mission statement, quote, we aspire to be the best and most trusted organization in cannabis as considered by our consumers in all communities as well as employees, partners, and shareholders, close quote. The former CFO of Acreage Holdings was charged last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission for lying to auditors and falsifying records.
Herb Barbot:In a nutshell, he is alleged to have facilitated a transfer of $4,200,000 to Acreage's accounts in December 2019, which was then returned the next month only to bolster Acreage's publicly reported year end cash balance. In New Mexico, lawmakers sent House Bill 10, a cannabis enforcement bill, to the desk of Governor Michel Lujan Grisham. This bill creates a cannabis enforcement bureau under the regulation licensing department and gives the cannabis control division expanded powers. House Bill 10 delivers enforcement tools to help our state crack down on illegal cannabis operations while protecting legitimate businesses, said Grisham in a statement. I look forward to signing this bill and strengthening the foundation of our regulated cannabis industry.
Herb Barbot:At the March meeting this past week, regulators proposed a slowdown of cultivation licensing and loosening restrictions on retailers who want to offer cannabis discounts. They also described for the first time some trade investigations underway. At the start of the meeting, the board approved 101 new licenses, bringing the total number of approved licenses to over 1,600. Of these, 59% are reported to be social and economic equity licensees. Today, three thirty three adult use shops are open.
Herb Barbot:Patrick McCage, the Chief Operating Officer for the Office of Cannabis Management, said that OCM is finally nearing the end of the November 2023 Q, which has 50 applications left. Several speakers during the public comment period urged regulators to quickly get to the December as those awaiting licenses are losing money. Felicia Reed, the acting executive director of OCM, in a nod to recent criticism, pulled up slides to explain why so few cultivation licenses have been approved in recent meetings. One slide showed that to date, roughly 6,900,000 square feet of cultivation space has been approved. Understanding the yields coming out of the 2025 growing season with an implemented seed to sale system and OCM's market monitoring is critical for us to make evidence based recommendations to the board on future cultivation licensure, she said.
Herb Barbot:At this time, she continued, OCM recommends that the board slow the pace on cultivation license approvals pending outcomes from the 2025 growing season. Finally, edible arrangements is getting into hemp edibles. The company behind those fruit gift baskets is getting into hemp edibles in a big way with edibles.com, the company announced this past week. The announcement directly addressed the wild west of the hemp landscape today. Despite the estimated $28,000,000,000 market, the hemp industry faces consumer challenges due to a market saturated with products that lack consistent quality and testing standard, adding to consumer confusion and hesitancy, the announcement read.
Herb Barbot:Edibles.com tackles this head on with a robust education center, reliable delivery, and partnerships with leading product innovators. Edibles.com started their rollout in Texas at the end of the week, and the company said it plans to follow with expansion in the Southeast, including Florida and Georgia. The announcement also stated that select products will also be available for nationwide shipping when legally permitted in the coming weeks, broadening accessibility. If you loved your fruit delivered by van on the tray arranged like flowers, then this is for you. Thanks to Cannabis Wire for the news.
Herb Barbot:Check out Cannabis Wire at cannabiswire.com. I'm truly honored to introduce my former colleague and now the new director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration, Tabitha Robinson. Tabitha was previously with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, where she served as the executive director of Economic Development and the Acting Chief Equity Officer. Now I have to brag a little bit about Tabitha's academic achievements. Tabitha received a bachelor's degree in international relations from Stanford University, studied abroad at Oxford University, and also has an MBA from Harvard University, as well as a law degree from Harvard.
Herb Barbot:Welcome, Director Robinson.
Tabatha Robinson:Thank you, Herb. Thank you for having me, and it's great to see you again.
Herb Barbot:No, it's great to see you, and thank you so much. I can only imagine how busy you must be at this time. So, I want to I I want to talk a little bit about your experience in New York but then also, of course, talk about, you know, what you're expecting in in Maryland. So, know it must have been a difficult decision. It's a great opportunity but I'm sure it was a difficult decision to, you know, leave New York State, leave your colleagues there.
Herb Barbot:What motivated you to make this move?
Tabatha Robinson:It was a difficult decision, honestly. I really loved being with New York's agency. I was born and raised in New York, so in many ways, it's a safe home base for me. Mhmm. Ultimately, what made this decision to Maryland is that it just feels like an amazing opportunity.
Tabatha Robinson:Maryland as a cannabis industry is in really strong position right now and has a lot of potential to continue growing its market. I was fortunate enough to hear about the position. Oftentimes that's the first hurdle, right? Mhmm. So it's not even knowing that there's something to apply to.
Herb Barbot:Right.
Tabatha Robinson:I was fortunate enough to hear about the position. And when I looked at the job description, it actually made me realize, Tabitha, you're a regulator. Lean in. You know? And so here we are.
Tabatha Robinson:This is honestly me just leaning in.
Herb Barbot:No. Absolutely. And you're gonna do a great job. During your time in New York, what social equity initiatives were you involved in creating? And and and what are you most proud of of your time in New York?
Tabatha Robinson:Oh, so many. We did a lot of really, really great work with New York. I'm really proud of building out the card program.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:Card program, conditional adult use retail dispensary program was the first of its kind in the nation. New York was the only state to start its market with social equity and the only state to start licensing with folks who are justice involved Mhmm. Their families. Really proud to say that I played a large hand in that. Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:And the card program has faced numerous challenges with rollout, with litigation, and despite that, it's really been able to succeed. When I left New York, over 300 of the retailers had come through the card program. So that's a tremendous feat. I'm also really proud of the social equity work we were able to do in New York, specifically with our social and economic equity groups. So under the MRTA, which is the dominant statue in New York's cannabis law excuse me, the dominant statue in New York's cannabis industry, Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:Priority has to go to the social and economic equity groups. Right? They include women owned businesses, minority owned businesses, distressed farmers, service disabled veterans, individuals from communities disproportionately impacted, and then an extra priority group. And I was really proud that we could exceed the statutory goal. Statutory goal was 50% of licenses should go to those applicants and we succeeded it.
Tabatha Robinson:When we exceeded it. When I was leaving New York, I believe we were at 54%. So another strong accomplishment.
Herb Barbot:Now what lessons from New York's social equity program, you know, lessons good and bad, do you plan to use in Maryland?
Tabatha Robinson:So many. And this is how it is with regulation, you know. We as regulators are learning from our own experiences daily and we learn from the experience of other states. One of the things that I take with me from New York is the understanding of organized interests. There are many people who have an interest in the cannabis industry but they're not all organized.
Tabatha Robinson:And oftentimes policy gets shaped by those who are the most organized. But as a regulator, you know, our job is to look out from the lay of the land and fully understand everyone who has a seat there. That's one of the things that I really hope to accomplish here in Maryland is to get a sense of those interests that are organized, but also those interests that are less organized. Those voices that haven't yet bubbled up to the top Mhmm. But truly matter here.
Tabatha Robinson:And I hope that we can continue to build out and grow this industry, really understanding all the folks at play.
Herb Barbot:So what what do you see as the biggest challenges facing Maryland cannabis, especially for small businesses and social equity goals?
Tabatha Robinson:Maryland had a social equity only round
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:Between the end of twenty twenty three and 2024. Early '20 '20 '4, they were able to issue excuse me. They were able to hold a lottery with over 200 social equity applicants. And every state defines social equity differently. So what it has meant in New York is not necessarily what it means here.
Tabatha Robinson:But the goal is the same, right? Providing opportunity to those who haven't really had it yet, especially within cannabis. Melon now has the challenge of getting those awardees operational. Right now, there have been over a 90 conditional licenses issued to those folks within that lottery.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:And now we need them to open their doors. They're given a provisional period of about eighteen months from the time of award, so the time they had to open. In New York, it was twelve months.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:I'm very grateful that we have a longer time frame here to work with. And there's a lot that I learned in New York around how to get stores operational, how to get processors and growers operational that I bring with me here to Maryland and hope to have more facilities open very soon.
Herb Barbot:So Maryland began cannabis sales in 2023.
Tabatha Robinson:Adult use sales.
Herb Barbot:Adult use sales in 2023. How would you assess the state of the market currently?
Tabatha Robinson:State of the market is strong. I think Maryland, you know, they really, I gotta give it to them. They really helped themselves in sort of paving the way towards success. Maryland was fortunate to have a lot of medical operators. So whereas New York has had around 10 Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:For the past many years, Maryland has had way more than that.
Herb Barbot:Okay.
Tabatha Robinson:At the time of adult use legalization, July 2023, Maryland had over a 40 medical operators that automatically converted if they elected to convert. Mhmm. So that that was a a seamless transition that Marilyn designed in allowing their medical operators to come online for adult use immediately. That's allowed a strong adult use market to flourish, right, to really grow and and to to build off of the tailwinds that had already been built in the medical market. New York, unfortunately, have that opportunity because of the way that the two tier market was designed in New York and because of the way that the medical and adult use separation is in New York.
Herb Barbot:Yeah. No. I I was at Ocean City last year for I spent a day in Ocean City. And as I was driving, I did notice a couple of shots. And it's still, like, new enough, right, that when you see one, you you notice it.
Herb Barbot:So, I was very pleased to see, you know, they were operating, operating in a locations that I thought were great locations to be in. Now, you know, as the new leader in the Maryland Cannabis Administration, how would you measure the success of your social equity programs?
Tabatha Robinson:We are always looking at the number of businesses that are open. Mhmm. We're always looking at the number of businesses that are profitable. We're looking at what cost they've incurred as they attempted to operationalize, right? That's huge.
Tabatha Robinson:So for example, how much are they spending on build out? Where are their costs the largest? And how do the costs associated with the social equity business differ from the costs of our other businesses, right? Are they the same or are they different? Something I'm very curious about.
Tabatha Robinson:Also looking at how long they stay profitable. We hope infinitely. We hope that these businesses continue on, that they become opportunities for generational wealth, both amongst our social equity licensees as well as our non social equity. And so we're we're definitely tracking what the longevity and the long term trajectory of these businesses look like.
Herb Barbot:Now how do you plan to address specific concerns by, you know, and it's happening everywhere, right? You know, market consolidation, ensuring that smaller businesses are able to compete and stay open. What what what tools are you looking at to, to try to accomplish that?
Tabatha Robinson:Great question. Honestly, think the only way that we as a cannabis industry can play a role in that is through partnerships with our sister agencies. Know, this this consolidation is something happening within cannabis, but also in other industries as well. They're subject to the macroeconomic factors of the country just like any other industry. And so sister agencies here have been really strong partnerships for MCA.
Tabatha Robinson:For example, the Department of Commerce It's been really helpful. They offered grant funding for Maryland's cannabis licensees. And that sort of started funding really helps our businesses jump these hurdles, right, so that they aren't forced to make decisions around selling the business or selling significant amounts of equity when they're not ready to. So we'll continue to work with our partners around the state and hopefully develop a larger framework that addresses not just the needs of cannabis, but also fits into the macroeconomic conditions as well.
Herb Barbot:Are there any changes contemplated to Maryland's, you know, sort of regulatory scheme to try to, you know, achieve your goals?
Tabatha Robinson:That's a really great question. It's something that I'm still trying to wrap my mind around.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:I'm getting accustomed to a new set of regulations. I'm trying to learn a lot about the history. And that's something that I've come to realize in these first couple weeks on the job is the history is huge.
Herb Barbot:Right.
Tabatha Robinson:And it's really hard to make decisions around what regulation should look like, even what guidance should look like without first understanding that history. So before I can say that I changed regulation this way or that way, I wanna make sure I really understand the history where the existing businesses have come from, things that they've struggled with in the past. But I will say that the regulations as they have stood have been developed to serve the industry in its really early periods. As this industry grows, as time passes on, I understand that we'll probably need new regulations, right, to address the new challenges.
Herb Barbot:Right.
Tabatha Robinson:Business is mature, there are fewer startups, fewer licenses will be issued at some point in time. So I will look to change the regulations, just not now.
Herb Barbot:Yeah. No. And and I think, you know, you you do bring a unique perspective because in New York, you were in the room when regulations were being created. Right? So So you understand that these, you know, they come from somewhere and that a lot of thought has gone into where they are, that it wasn't some, you know, couple of dumb bureaucrats that put this together.
Tabatha Robinson:No. Many a long night in Microsoft Word drafting with the team. Yes. Yes.
Herb Barbot:I remember. I remember. So now what what what is the state of the medical cannabis market in Maryland? Is it growing? Is it shrinking?
Tabatha Robinson:I wish I could say otherwise, but it's a nationwide trend. Medical cannabis sales are down once adult use becomes legalized.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:And my goal one of my goals in New York was to expand the medical market. I was able to successfully do that with the rollout of RO expansion. So we called it in New York. I'm looking to grow the medical market here as well in Maryland. Now it will probably look differently from how I did it in New York because the circumstances are different.
Tabatha Robinson:And as I've mentioned, Maryland has many more medical operators than New York did. But nonetheless, that remains a very key policy goal of mine is let's grow the medical market. I know it's shrinking nationwide.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:I know every state is facing the same dilemma but we don't want to give up on the patients.
Herb Barbot:No absolutely and it was actually one of my first questions coming into the regulatory arena is you know, do you need a medical cannabis industry once you go adult use? But in speaking to physicians, I mean, what I find is most definitely, right? Those patients still need to be monitored, not, you know, sort of self helping themselves, but they stay in treatment and you know under the care of physicians.
Tabatha Robinson:And we say that cannabis is medicine. And the more you learn about the plant, the more you actually realize this is truly a medicine. It has a recreational function if you will it to. But inherently it's a medicine. So I don't want us to lose all the potential that comes from this medicine.
Tabatha Robinson:I want us to make sure that the market is able to meet the needs of patients, to make sure that businesses are able to drive their revenue growth using this medicine. Of course everything in a responsible, safe, and accessible ways. But definitely, we want to keep medical alive, strong, and growing.
Herb Barbot:Okay. Are there any initiatives that you're considering to address past harms caused by caused by criminalization?
Tabatha Robinson:Yes. Repair is a is a huge part of that. Repairing some of the harms caused, restoring communities in that way. In Maryland, social equity work is generally conducted by the office of social equity. It's a separate agency.
Tabatha Robinson:We work very closely with them. But they handle the bulk of that social equity work via statute.
Herb Barbot:But is is it is it only in the cannabis arena or or do okay.
Tabatha Robinson:Yes. Office of Social Equity, they strictly do cannabis. And I love that. I love that the General Assembly of Maryland has realized, you know, we need strong resources put towards social equity. We need an agency that that is going to really be able to take this on full time all day every day.
Tabatha Robinson:And so we continue to partner with them and work with them on a lot of their initiatives. For example, they have a cannabis repair. I'm gonna get the acronym wrong, unfortunately.
Herb Barbot:That's a good
Tabatha Robinson:They have a, reinvestment cannabis repair and reinvestment fund. Thank you. That they that they are building out right now based upon adult use sales tax revenue similar to New York. And they are hiring for a grant administrator. So I'm a huge fan of that work, you know, and and looking forward to continuing to work with them as they build that out.
Herb Barbot:Looking ahead at the next two or three years, what are your top three priorities for the Maryland Cannabis Administration?
Tabatha Robinson:Top three priorities. One, operationalize those conditional licensees. There are about 190 plus right now who are looking to open their doors. That's a huge priority. Two, expand the medical market.
Tabatha Robinson:Let's bring those medical sales up. Let's bring more patients online. Let's figure out how we can build that. And three, I'd say prepare for federal legalization. We know it's coming.
Tabatha Robinson:We just don't know when. And the Trump administration has not yet issued clear direction on what it plans to do with cannabis. But we wanna be prepared regardless. Right. We want to be prepared such that when the walls do come down as they say, Maryland is able to remain a really strong market.
Tabatha Robinson:Maryland has had over a billion dollars in sales revenue. And I'd like to keep that going forward. I'd like to see that growth and hold strong even when we're competing with other states and other countries.
Herb Barbot:How many dispensaries do you have open at this point?
Tabatha Robinson:Over 40. Maryland is vertical upper vertical optional.
Herb Barbot:Okay.
Tabatha Robinson:So in addition to
Herb Barbot:Can you explain what that means?
Tabatha Robinson:So vertical optional on the adult use side and the medical side. So you can, when you apply for a license, you can conduct all the activities across the supply chain. Right. Growing, processing, and dispensing.
Herb Barbot:Right. Which is not allowed in New York.
Tabatha Robinson:Which is not allowed in New York unless you're a micro business. But here in Maryland you can grow at scale, you can process at scale, and you can sell at scale.
Herb Barbot:Okay. Alright. Now you know one of the things that you must have learned in New York is regardless of what's happening at the agency, the good work that's being done, there's this outside world. Right? There's this outside political world.
Herb Barbot:How are you planning to sort of, you know, contend with that? Right? Making sure that the governor remains pleased with the work that's going on, that the legislature remains pleased. And I think, you know, also very importantly, the, the public. Right?
Tabatha Robinson:You know, Herb, this actually reminds me of your first question to me, I believe. Why Maryland? Mhmm. One of the beautiful things about the state is that all levels of government are invested in cannabis success.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:Everyone has bought in. I'm really grateful to governor Moore and his administration for prioritizing cannabis. I'm grateful to the general assembly, both on the senate side as well as the side for really taking an active interest in this industry and advocating for bills and programs and policies. And that's really made a difference here is having that collaboration, that alignment across the layers of government so that we can get the work done.
Herb Barbot:Alright.
Tabatha Robinson:I don't know if I answered your question.
Herb Barbot:No. You you you did. You did. You're you're you're very sharp, and I'm very proud that matters. I'm very proud of the fact that you've gone there.
Herb Barbot:And I think that's gonna happen with a lot of the folks at OCM. I think they're gonna be going out throughout the country because I think the the work that was done was unique and special. And I think a lot of states are gonna take advantage of that.
Tabatha Robinson:I love to see it. I will say that there's no way I could have assumed this role without my experience in New York. New York was a tremendous opportunity. We pushed the envelope on pretty much everything. And that's really prepared me to be able to innovate here in Maryland.
Tabatha Robinson:It's allowed me to come in with fresh eyes
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:To understand, the market here. You know, one of the things I'd say has been really exciting for me is I started on a Wednesday. And on Friday, I had a budget hearing. Friday and Monday. So within t equals three and t equals four Uh-huh.
Tabatha Robinson:I was already going before the senate and the house to talk budget.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:And as I was prepping and the staff was helping me prep, you know, I would kinda see the reactions and and how quickly I was able to pick things up. And I was shocked too. And I realized, well, yes, it's because in New York, we learned what questions to ask. Marilyn will answer those questions differently from how New York did. Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:But the questions remain the same.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:We all care about medical. We all care about time to operationalize for conditional licensees. Right? So as I mentioned here, it's eighteen months. In New York, it's twelve months as a provisional.
Tabatha Robinson:We all care about metric and seat to sales systems.
Herb Barbot:Mhmm.
Tabatha Robinson:So the questions are the same. And that's allowed me to be able to take on this tremendous responsibility to work with this agency and ultimately drive Marilyn to the next step, I hope.
Herb Barbot:All right well thank you so much. Now where can people sort of follow what you're doing and keep tabs on what's going on with the Maryland Cannabis Administration?
Tabatha Robinson:That's a good question Herb. I will get back to you on that.
Herb Barbot:All right.
Tabatha Robinson:On our.
Herb Barbot:Just just Google it like I did.
Tabatha Robinson:Yes just Google it yes.
Herb Barbot:All right well thank you thank you for your time today it's been it's been a real pleasure to catch up with you and I wish you the best and we'll be checking in from time to time.
Tabatha Robinson:Thank you, Herb. As I said, great to see you again and always a pleasure.
Herb Barbot:Thank you. That's it for this episode of Joint Session Diverse Voices in New York State Cannabis. If you found today's discussion valuable, consider leaving a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps more listeners find the show. Better yet, share it with colleagues, advocates, and anyone interested in the future of cannabis in New York.
Herb Barbot:Joint Session is produced by me, Herb Wabo, together with executive producer Robert Curtis from Simlev Media. Special thanks as always to Cannabis Wire. You can follow us on Instagram at jointsession.pod and on LinkedIn at joint session podcast. If you have any comments, questions or topic suggestions, reach out to me at herb.joinsession@gmail.com. Until next time, this is Herb Wabo.
Herb Barbot:Thanks for listening. Hi.
