Marijuana Possession Arrests Plunge in NYC Post-Legalization
In the first quarter of 2021, before legalization took effect, New York City saw 163 arrests for marijuana possession. Police arrested people both for holding quantities of marijuana that were decriminalized back in 2019 (under two ounces), and for quantities that were over the decriminalization limit. (When Cuomo signed a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession in July 2019, it meant that anyone caught with up to two ounces could be given a fine of up to $200 and not arrested.)