You'll have to pay $210,000 for a medical marijuana grower's license in New York

If you want to become a weed farmer in New York state, you’ll need more than a green thumb and some seeds.

State officials have opened the application process for a license — and it won’t be cheap. Applicants will have to plunk down a non-refundable $10,000 application fee along with the $200,000 registration fee to enter the program.

The registration lasts for two years. After that, growers have to pay again, according to the New York State Department of Health.

The state will award five licenses for its highly regulated medical marijuana program. Each registered grower will be allowed to open up four dispensaries, which is roughly one dispensary per million residents in the state.

Snoop Dogg’s weed delivery service comes to L.A.

Chalk one up for Los Angeles in the coast-to-coast competition for weed-friendliest megacity. While New York is grappling with an obtuse medical marijuana program, you can get home delivery in L.A.

While legal weed delivery services already exist, a Snoop Dogg-backed company Eaze will begin operating in the city “soon,” according to LA Weekly. Eaze is more than just delivery — it uses the Uber model, recruiting any drivers interested in making reefer runs.

As LA Weekly points out, Snoop Dogg could have to compete with music-industry peers, such as country legend Willie Nelson and Cypress Hill’s B-Real, both of whom are also looking for a foothold in the legal weed game.

Projected NFL top draft pick cited for marijuana possession

Marijuana may be a hot topic at the NFL draft on Thursday.

Top prospect Shane Ray, a defensive lineman at the University of Missouri, was cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession and failing to drive in the right lane on Monday morning. Ray was not arrested and said in a statement that he was not intoxicated at the time of the incident.

The infraction could impact his ranking in the draft. According to NFL.com, teams were already concerned about Ray possibly needing toe surgery, which could sideline him for three to five weeks. The marijuana charge could make them further question his value.

“There are no excuses here and I will take the necessary steps to ensure this will not happen again,” Ray said in a statement.

Last month, another top prospect, Randy Gregory, tested positive for marijuana, potentially damaging his standing in the upcoming draft.

Update, 5:00 p.m. ET: This post has been updated with details from the New York State Department of Health about the re-registration process for medical marijuana growers.

Ted Hesson was formerly the immigration editor at Fusion, covering the issue from Washington, D.C. He also writes about drug laws and (occasionally) baseball. On the side: guitars, urban biking, and fiction.