A drive to include adult-use cannabis legalization in the New York Legislature’s 2019 state budget failed last month. There was a dispute over taxes and the framework that an industry would take, but conservative lawmakers also played a role in killing it off.
Sponsors of the legislation are now working on introducing a new bill that they hope stands a better chance of passing into law.
The new bill would create a government unit that would regulate all products derived from cannabis and hemp, while revenue would be allocated towards “communities adversely affected by marijuana prohibition”. Further money would go to the police to help enforce safe driving laws.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo supports it, but he has no desire to convince opponents to change their minds.