New York's recreational marijuana launch faces growing pains as few stores open amid legal snags

New York launched legal recreational marijuana sales by promising retail licenses to people with past drug convictions.

Only about two dozen state-licensed dispensaries have opened so far, with 400 provisional licensees in limbo due to legal challenges.

Marijuana farmers are struggling because there are too few stores to sell their harvest.

New regulations allow medical marijuana providers to also sell recreational, worrying some farmers and retailers about competing.

Critics blame slow retail growth on bureaucratic issues like delays in a $200 million "social equity" fund to help new businesses.