The New York state Supreme Court lifted an injunction that prevented the state from allowing new cannabis retail stores.

The judicial order halted the processing and reviewing of licenses for new retail shops. The state has been blocked from allowing additional cannabis stores to open since August.

Executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management Chris Alexander released a statement saying in part, "Today is a good day for New York, for the dream of equity in cannabis, and for every New Yorker hoping to have a legal, licensed cannabis dispensary in their community."

Gov. Kathy Hochul added in a tweet, "With a court order today, our first-in-the-nation program for justice-involved cannabis licensees is back in business! That means stores opening faster, more places to buy safer, tested, legal cannabis, & with our aggressive enforcement efforts, fewer bad actors in the market."