New Yorkers love to joke about its little brother New Jersey, ribbing any and all of that state’s shortcomings, but the pair are two peas on a pod when it comes to marijuana reform. Just as New Jersey did before, New York poised itself as the next state to legalize recreational marijuana but lacks enough support from lawmakers to do so.
NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo confessed this week that he doesn’t have the votes in the State Senate to push legalization forward. Cuomo previously had promised adult-use marijuana legislation for New Yorkers in 2019, but as the state’s legislative session comes to end, the governor says it probably won’t happen this year.
“I don’t think it’s feasible at this point. I don’t think it matters how much I push in 11 days. I think when the Senate says we don’t have the votes, I take them at the word,” Cuomo said.