Tuesday, March 30, 2021

New York finally reaches higher ground

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Times Union 

 State leaders have finalized a deal to legalize recreational marijuana, with long-awaited legislation laying out the details appearing Saturday night. Lawmakers had previously said the bill could be voted on as soon as this week.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced the agreement, which will establish a new state Office of Cannabis Management to oversee a regulatory system for medical and adult-use marijuana as well as cannabinoid hemp. Producers, distributors, retailers, and other actors in the cannabis market will be licensed according to the system laid out in the bill, and a "social and economic equity program" will assist "individuals disproportionately impacted by cannabis enforcement that want to participate in the industry," according to a release from the governor's office.

The cannabis industry is projected to deliver $350 million annually in tax revenues and 30,000 to 60,000 new jobs statewide, the release said.

Dubbed the New York State Cannabis/Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act, the bill will create the Office of Cannabis Management, which will be governed by a five-member board — three members appointed by the governor and one appointment by each legislative house. OCM will be "an independent office operating as part of the New York State Liquor Authority," the release said.

The agreement would allow people with a larger list of medical conditions to access medical marijuana, increase the number of caregivers allowed per patient, and permit home cultivation of medical cannabis for patients.

Licensed growers and processors would be barred from also owning retail stores. Under the social and economic equity program, a goal of 50 percent of licenses would go to a minority- or woman-owned business enterprise or distressed farmers or service-disabled veterans.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bad idea with many downfalls.
Meathead Pot heads rejoice, smoke your brains out !
Like People aren't stupid enough.

Anonymous said...

"Minority- or woman-owned" More Racist Woke BS !

Anonymous said...

Pot Should be given away to the poor !

Anonymous said...

Marijuana farming is not very green. Enormous amounts of electricity are consumed to power the grow lights neccessary for growing marijuana. West coast pot farming has already caused numerous dangerous utility blackouts in large cities. Fire departments have documented that indoor pot farms have caused huge conflagrations resulting in the deaths of folks living in adjacent buildings as well as terrible injuries suffered by firefighters trying to control the blaze.

Anonymous said...

I say why stop at pot,legalize heroin and every other drug. They will also bring in tax money too. And what happens when you run out of things to tax. Oh there is the air we breathe. No matter how much money you give the Democrats they will piss it away.

Anonymous said...

Give Peace a Chance !

Anonymous said...

Put buckets of smack, coke, and fentanyl on every street corner. Knock yourselves out, assholes. No 911 calls for respiratory distress though, you're on your own.
In about a year the IQ average of the state will have jumped about 15 points

Anonymous said...

Demorats will stop at nothing to raise taxes for their Pork Barrell Bull-Shit.

Anonymous said...

I gave up smoking weed 6 months ago,I smoked for 25 years,I admit now it was the dumbest thing I ever did,within the 6 months I quit,I have gotten of anti depression medications,my head is clear not foggy and the paranoia is gone,I claimed that medical cannabis was a necessity but that was all bull shit to justify my use,I hope if you don't smoke you never start,it's not what you think it is,you will regrett it in time as I did,good luck.

Anonymous said...

Smoking anything can't be good for the lungs but saying this,I grew up both parents smoked cigarettes and so did most people. I started as a young teen and did it for a few years and quit but have been smoking grass for 55 years and my lungs feel good and I'm quite active.Experts claim there has never been one case of lung cancer from grass and it has been around for a thousand years so they should know by now.How many lives have been destroyed by the war on grass a plant that can grow in anyone's back yard or basement.Grass has been illegal since 1937,the prohibition of alcohol was a disaster too.War is Over.