Cuomo proposes to legalize recreational marijuana and sports betting in New York
'07.01.2021'
Lyudmila Balabay
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has once again proposed legalizing recreational marijuana in the state. This would help fix the financial situation and reduce the budget deficit caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Details of his initiative were told by the publication New York Post.
It is estimated that taking this measure could generate $ 300 million a year in tax revenue. Cuomo announced his initiative on January 6, and also announced his support for the legalization of sports betting.
“I think this decision should have been made many years ago,” the governor said.
Cuomo wants to create a Cannabis Management Office that will oversee the use of recreational marijuana by adults, as well as manage the state's existing medical marijuana programs.
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Cuomo acknowledged that criminal drug laws have disproportionately affected communities of color for a long time.
“I think too many people have been imprisoned and punished. This only increases the injustice of the justice system, ”said the Governor of New York.
This is Cuomo's third such proposal in the past few years. His previous two attempts to legalize recreational marijuana in 2019 and 2020 have failed, although Democrats gained control of both houses of the state legislature in 2018.
However, following the November elections, the Democrats gained an overwhelming majority in the state legislature, capable of overcoming any veto. This could be critical for the legalization of cannabis in the region.
“This is the year we really need additional funding, and many New Yorkers are struggling. I think this year will give us the impetus to overcome this line, ”added Cuomo.
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Possession of marijuana in small quantities was decriminalized in New York in 2019, overturning some convictions against people who use marijuana.
If recreational cannabis is legalized in New York City, adults 21 and older will be allowed to consume "weed" for recreation and entertainment. Medical marijuana was legalized in New York in 2014.
