Last verified: March 2026

The Lawmakers

Senator Liz Krueger

The architect of the MRTA. Krueger introduced the bill annually starting in December 2013 and spent seven years building the coalition that finally passed it. Her version prioritized equity, local control, and a sensible tax structure. She remains a vocal critic of implementation failures, calling the $200M equity fund arrangements "predatory."

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes

The Buffalo assemblymember who championed the MRTA in the lower chamber. Her declaration upon passage — "Unlike any other state in this nation, this legislation is intentionally about equity" — captured the law's aspirational spirit.

The Regulators

Chris Alexander

The most complex figure in the story. A Drug Policy Alliance attorney who helped draft the MRTA, Alexander led OCM from September 2021 until his forced resignation in May 2024. His supporters view his ouster as racially motivated. His critics point to operational failures: 90% of applicants unlicensed, $26 million in unspent budget. He is now executive director of the NAACP's state conference.

Tremaine Wright

Chaired the Cannabis Control Board through its most turbulent period. Hochul effectively forced her out by eliminating the chair's $229,000 salary in the 2025 budget, replacing it with a $260-per-meeting stipend.

Jessica Garcia

A labor union official and original CCB member who replaced Wright as chair in June 2025.

John Kagia

Former cannabis analytics executive who served as OCM's policy director since 2022. Took over as executive director in February 2026 — the fourth person to lead the agency in under two years.

The Governor

Governor Kathy Hochul

Has been both the program's biggest critic and a source of its instability. Called the rollout a "disaster," ordered the review that led to Alexander's resignation, forced out his successor, and eliminated Wright's salary. Critics argue her administration contributed to the very problems she blames OCM for.

The Entrepreneurs

Housing Works Cannabis Co.

The nonprofit AIDS service organization that made the first legal adult-use sale in state history on December 29, 2022. Generated $12 million in its first six months, with all proceeds funding HIV/AIDS services, housing, and harm reduction.

Celebrity Presence

Carmelo Anthony (STAYME7O), Method Man (TICAL), Wu-Tang Clan (Protect Ya Neck), Mike Tyson (Tyson 2.0), and Cookies have brought cultural energy to the market. For details, see celebrity brands.