ALBANY, N.Y.—New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill on Wednesday to legalize recreational marijuana for adults, paving the way for retail sales in the state to begin in 2022.
The possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana was immediately legalized for people 21 and over, but proponents of the legislation said it would likely take until next year for the state to finalize regulations for retail sales. New Yorkers will also eventually be able to legally grow their own marijuana for personal use.
Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat in his third term, signed the bill after it was approved by the state Assembly and Senate on Tuesday evening. The governor announced his support for legalizing recreational marijuana in 2018, but disputes about how to structure the legal market and spend related tax revenue held up earlier legislation.
“This is a historic day in New York—one that rights the wrongs of the past by putting an end to harsh prison sentences, embraces an industry that will grow the Empire State’s economy, and prioritizes marginalized communities so those that have suffered the most will be the first to reap the benefits,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement on Wednesday.
New York becomes the 15th state to legalize recreational marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill in February legalizing and regulating cannabis use and possession in that state.
Democrats who control the state Assembly and Senate in New York announced an agreement on the legislation last week and printed the final bill this weekend. It was approved after more than six hours of debate over objections by Republican lawmakers.
Assemblyman Keith Brown, a Republican from Long Island, said he was concerned that legalizing marijuana would make it easier for teenagers to acquire the drug.
“I am deeply concerned about the potential impacts legalizing marijuana will have on young adults and our quality of life in New York state,” Mr. Brown said during a floor debate.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, a Buffalo Democrat who sponsors the bill, said there would always be young people who use drugs. She said 20% of the tax revenue generated from marijuana sales—which is eventually projected to be $350 million a year—would be devoted to drug education.
State Sen. Liz Krueger, a Democrat from Manhattan who also sponsors the bill, said the law would end disparate enforcement practices that have disproportionately hurt communities of color. She said during a floor debate that the bill would reduce the illicit drug market.
“Right now, we have an enormous system of drug distribution in this state that is controlled by cartels,” she said. “To have a legalized system—which is the proposal of this legislation—ensures that the drug is safe from seed to sale.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-state-legalizes-recreational-marijuana-11617203436
The possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana was immediately legalized for people 21 and over, but proponents of the legislation said it would likely take until next year for the state to finalize regulations for retail sales. New Yorkers will also eventually be able to legally grow their own marijuana for personal use.
Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat in his third term, signed the bill after it was approved by the state Assembly and Senate on Tuesday evening. The governor announced his support for legalizing recreational marijuana in 2018, but disputes about how to structure the legal market and spend related tax revenue held up earlier legislation.
“This is a historic day in New York—one that rights the wrongs of the past by putting an end to harsh prison sentences, embraces an industry that will grow the Empire State’s economy, and prioritizes marginalized communities so those that have suffered the most will be the first to reap the benefits,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement on Wednesday.
New York becomes the 15th state to legalize recreational marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill in February legalizing and regulating cannabis use and possession in that state.
Democrats who control the state Assembly and Senate in New York announced an agreement on the legislation last week and printed the final bill this weekend. It was approved after more than six hours of debate over objections by Republican lawmakers.
Assemblyman Keith Brown, a Republican from Long Island, said he was concerned that legalizing marijuana would make it easier for teenagers to acquire the drug.
“I am deeply concerned about the potential impacts legalizing marijuana will have on young adults and our quality of life in New York state,” Mr. Brown said during a floor debate.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, a Buffalo Democrat who sponsors the bill, said there would always be young people who use drugs. She said 20% of the tax revenue generated from marijuana sales—which is eventually projected to be $350 million a year—would be devoted to drug education.
State Sen. Liz Krueger, a Democrat from Manhattan who also sponsors the bill, said the law would end disparate enforcement practices that have disproportionately hurt communities of color. She said during a floor debate that the bill would reduce the illicit drug market.
“Right now, we have an enormous system of drug distribution in this state that is controlled by cartels,” she said. “To have a legalized system—which is the proposal of this legislation—ensures that the drug is safe from seed to sale.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-state-legalizes-recreational-marijuana-11617203436
