On this episode of Joint Session, Herb is joined by Beck Hickey and Erin Thurmond. Beck and Erin share a candid look inside New York’s cannabis licensing battle, focusing on the frustrations and uncertainty surrounding the December Queue. They break down how shifting rules, political decisions, and market analysis have left thousands of equity-focused applicants in limbo, while early license holders consolidate advantages.

The conversation digs into:

• Why the December Queue was created—and how it strayed from its original promise of equity.
• The financial, legal, and emotional toll of waiting years for clarity.
• The role of the illicit market and why inclusion—not exclusion—may be the only sustainable path forward.
• The urgent need for transparency, fairness, and accountability from OCM and state leadership.

It’s a raw and important discussion about survival, advocacy, and the fight to make cannabis reform live up to its intentions.