Tracey Mumford

Ashley Southall covers cannabis legalization for The Times. She's been reporting on the rise and fall of an ambitious program in New York state that the governor once said would, quote, write historical wrongs. After recreational cannabis was legalized there in 2021, the state backed a $200 million fund to give people who'd been prosecuted for drug offenses a leg up in the new market.

Ashley Southall covers cannabis legalization for The Times. She's been reporting on the rise and fall of an ambitious program in New York state that the governor once said would, quote, write historical wrongs. After recreational cannabis was legalized there in 2021, the state backed a $200 million fund to give people who'd been prosecuted for drug offenses a leg up in the new market.

It was supposed to launch 150 small cannabis shops, providing property and loans. Only 22 have gone up, and Ashley says many of the participants in the program told her they feel they've been caught in a debt trap.

It was supposed to launch 150 small cannabis shops, providing property and loans. Only 22 have gone up, and Ashley says many of the participants in the program told her they feel they've been caught in a debt trap.

It was supposed to launch 150 small cannabis shops, providing property and loans. Only 22 have gone up, and Ashley says many of the participants in the program told her they feel they've been caught in a debt trap.

Connor and others told Ashley that the loans they got from the fund were so tightly restricted, they had almost no say in how their stores were designed and built, and no oversight of construction costs. That effectively handcuffed them as they were trying to compete with a flood of new illicit cannabis shops that started popping up across the state.

Connor and others told Ashley that the loans they got from the fund were so tightly restricted, they had almost no say in how their stores were designed and built, and no oversight of construction costs. That effectively handcuffed them as they were trying to compete with a flood of new illicit cannabis shops that started popping up across the state.

Connor and others told Ashley that the loans they got from the fund were so tightly restricted, they had almost no say in how their stores were designed and built, and no oversight of construction costs. That effectively handcuffed them as they were trying to compete with a flood of new illicit cannabis shops that started popping up across the state.

For his part, Conner ended up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

For his part, Conner ended up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

For his part, Conner ended up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

In response to questions from the Times, a publicist for the fund said criticism of the program was, quote, absurd, claiming it had given opportunities to people other lenders wouldn't have taken a chance on. Recently, Conner and other participants in the program asked the governor to shut the program down altogether and refinance their debt.

In response to questions from the Times, a publicist for the fund said criticism of the program was, quote, absurd, claiming it had given opportunities to people other lenders wouldn't have taken a chance on. Recently, Conner and other participants in the program asked the governor to shut the program down altogether and refinance their debt.

In response to questions from the Times, a publicist for the fund said criticism of the program was, quote, absurd, claiming it had given opportunities to people other lenders wouldn't have taken a chance on. Recently, Conner and other participants in the program asked the governor to shut the program down altogether and refinance their debt.

And finally, who's the sweatiest person on the rugby team?

And finally, who's the sweatiest person on the rugby team?

And finally, who's the sweatiest person on the rugby team?

A lot of people who first saw Alona Marr on social media had never watched a rugby match. But the American athlete and TikTok favorite has been giving the sport a bump. It started during the summer's Olympics when Marr shared a lot of videos of giant croissants, but also footage of her on the field helping Team USA take the bronze.

A lot of people who first saw Alona Marr on social media had never watched a rugby match. But the American athlete and TikTok favorite has been giving the sport a bump. It started during the summer's Olympics when Marr shared a lot of videos of giant croissants, but also footage of her on the field helping Team USA take the bronze.

A lot of people who first saw Alona Marr on social media had never watched a rugby match. But the American athlete and TikTok favorite has been giving the sport a bump. It started during the summer's Olympics when Marr shared a lot of videos of giant croissants, but also footage of her on the field helping Team USA take the bronze.