Veterans Day outrage as disabled veterans in New York attacked over marijuana licenses: ‘Totally unacceptable’

This is no way to thank military heroes!

New York’s disabled vets I see redOn the eve of Veterans Day, they are outraged that they should be considered a preferred group — over ganga green — but account for a paltry 3.5% of all the state’s marijuana business licenses ever issued.

They also received only 7% of the “social equity” licenses reserved for disadvantaged residents.

“This is completely unacceptable. This is not ‘Thank you for your service.’ said Leo Bridgewateran army veterinarian and co-founder of the Service Disabled Veterans at Cannabis Association.

So far, more than half (53%) of the state’s marijuana licenses have been issued to “social and economic equity” applicants, according to the state Department of Marijuana Management.

But 43 percent of this group’s licenses went to women-owned businesses, 38 percent to racial and ethnic minorities, and only 7 percent to disabled veterinarians and distressed farmers. The other 5% went to applicants from communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs before marijuana was legalized in New York in 2021.

The licenses issued cover merchants who cover all aspects of the weed business from seed to sales: farmers and cultivators, microprocessors, distributors and retail dispensaries.

Osbert OrdunaThe CEO of Queens-based The Cannabis Place and a disabled veterinarian called the number of licenses distributed to veterans so far “ridiculous.”

“Insufficient. “This is a huge disappointment,” said Orduna, who received the license and is also a leader of the Service Disabled Veterans Association in Marijuana.

He said there are many disabled veterinarians who have a business certificate from the State General Services Administration who need to be able to obtain a marijuana license.

The State Cannabis Control Board and Office of Marijuana Management’s treatment of disabled veterans has long been a sore point, but it’s an especially sensitive issue this time of year.

Monday is Veterans Day, a federally recognized holiday that stands to honor the nation’s military heroes.

Governor Kathy Hochul’s marijuana regulators A lawsuit was filed last year for giving convicted marijuana dealers preference over disabled veterinarians in the issuance of marijuana licenses.

Red-faced state officials later solved the incident a judge ruled that regulators likely illegally favored drug offenders over disabled vets.

The Office of Marijuana Management had no direct comment to The Post on Sunday.

But at a meeting last month, regulators seemed generally pleased with progress in the total number of marijuana licenses issued to at least social equity applicants.

The group Disabled Veterans in Cannabis quickly responded with a statement: “Disabled veterans don’t want handouts, they want the opportunity to manage and start cannabis businesses.

“We believe OCM should give them the opportunity they have earned,” the group said.