Rebekah F. Ward reports in the Times Union that New York begins accepting retail cannabis dispensary applications on Aug. 25. The first applicants must prove they, or an immediate family member, were convicted with a marijuana-related charge in New York prior to the state's legalization of cannabis in 2021, and that they've owned and operated a business that made a profit for at least two years. Nonprofits working with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people can also apply. Tremaine Wright, chair of the state's Cannabis Control Board, said that this will mean "the first sales are conducted by those harmed by prohibition." Applications will be accepted through Sept. 26, and stores may open later this year or early in 2023. "We’ve worked to make this application as simple as possible for all interested applicants, and I cannot emphasize it enough that you do not need any legal expertise to fill this application out," said Chris Alexander, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management. Read more about this story in the Times Union.