On Thursday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that his office has established a working group to draft legislation for adult-use cannabis legalization. The development comes about a month after the state Health Department released a report determining that the pros of legalization outweigh the cons.
According to a press release, the working group—which largely consists of government officials and academics with relevant experience—will coordinate with lawmakers to develop a recreational marijuana bill. The governor’s office expects the legislation to be taken up in the state Senate next session.
“I have reviewed the multi-agency report commissioned last January and have discussed its findings with Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker,” Cuomo said. “The next steps must be taken thoughtfully and deliberately.”