Gov. Andrew Cuomo will
make a bid in his 2021 State of the State to legalize cannabis in New York and
create a new office to oversee it.
On Wednesday, the
governor announced that a “proposal to legalize and create a comprehensive
system to oversee and regulate cannabis in New York as part of the 2021 State
of the State.”
Under the governor's
proposal, “a new Office of Cannabis Management would be created to oversee the
new adult-use program, as well as the state's existing medical and cannabinoid
hemp programs.”
According to a news
release from Gov. Cuomo:
“An equitable structure
for the adult-use market will be created by offering licensing opportunities
and assistance to entrepreneurs in communities of color who have been
disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. Once fully implemented,
legalization is expected to generate more than $300 million in tax revenue.”
During his briefing on
Wednesday, the governor said that it was an “injustice” that legalizing
marijuana hadn’t already been passed.