Is New York State Ready To Legalize Marijuana?

Is New York ready to legalize marijuana? Governor Cuomo says yes, but some legislators are not ready for that yet.

Marijuana use has been legalized in multiple states around the country. On Monday Governor Cuomo says it’s time for New York to legalize marijuana, but some lawmakers are pushing back.

According to Marijuana Moment Supporters of the bill look at the tax revenue it would potentially bring in. Supporters estimate that the State, which is suffering from large deficits due to COVID-19, could benefit from the tax revenues. The state has the potential of receiving $300 million in tax revenue from the sale of marijuana.

Senator Todd Kaminsky, who is a Democrat, is worried about people driving while they are high on marijuana. He said, “We need to make sure that officers are able to detect for certain whether someone is driving under the influence. We need to make sure people know it’s unsafe to drive under the influence, and we need a court system that's able to handle evidence of all of it.”

Other opponents to the legislation cite the harm it could do to individuals. They say that adding marijuana sales to legalize gambling has the potential to destroy lives. They also point to the increase in alcoholism and drug use during the pandemic.

The marijuana industry has certainly been growing throughout the country, and supporters of legalization are looking toward the example other states have set. The almighty dollar usually wins out when we’re talking about millions of dollars in tax revenue. It will be interesting to see whether lawmakers follow the money or look out for the health issues of their constituents.