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Cuomo Takes Step Toward Legalizing Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on August 02, 2018 at 20:09:06 PT
By Lara Korte
Source: Wall Street Journal
New York -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo took another step toward legalizing marijuana in New York, announcing the formation of a 20-person work group to draft legislation allowing for recreational use by adults.Thursday’s announcement came on the heels of a state health-department study that addressed the effects of pot legalization on public health, the economy and the criminal-justice system. The final report, released last month, concluded that the positive effects of a regulated marijuana market would outweigh the potential negatives.
“As we work to implement the report’s recommendations through legislation, we must thoroughly consider all aspects of a regulated marijuana program, including its impact on public health, criminal justice and State revenue, and mitigate any potential risks associated with it,” Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a statement.When asked for comment on the work group, a spokesman for state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said Republicans in the chamber are focused on affordability, opportunity and security. “Let the governor and New York City Democrats focus on legalizing drugs, but that’s not where our attention is,” the spokesman said.Lawmakers and advocates have been working to move marijuana legislation in the past year. Senate Bill S3040, otherwise known as the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, was introduced in early 2017 and proposes legalization. The measure is still in the Senate Finance Committee and hasn’t received a vote.David Holland, executive director of the New York chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Empire State NORML, said: “We’re not aware yet of all the different aspects that the governor is considering, but we look forward to reviewing them and making ourselves available to him for guidance in this area.”The organization has worked closely with lawmakers to draft the bill currently in committee, and is cautiously optimistic about the governor’s work group.The state Legislature legalized medical marijuana in 2014 and expanded the law last year to make the drug more convenient for patients to use. Sen. Diane Savino, who sponsored the 2014 medical-marijuana legislation, said legalizing recreational pot could have economic and social benefits for the state.“The state of New York spends tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions of dollars, trying to regulate a market which most people have long since accepted is harmless in many respects,” said the Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island.To legalize marijuana for adult usage, the state would need to amend multiple facets of the law, including the penal and judicial codes, Ms. Savino said. The governor’s office said the creation of a regulated program would enable the state to control quality, set age and quantity restrictions, and reduce racial disparities in criminalization.Mr. Cuomo, who is running for a third term, has advocated for the softening of marijuana-related crimes for years. Marijuana investors have been among his biggest campaign contributors. MedMen Opportunity Fund II LP, based in Culver City, Calif., contributed $65,000 to Mr. Cuomo, and an executive associated with the fund, Andrew Modlin, contributed $25,000, filings show.Mr. Cuomo’s rival for the Democratic nomination, Cynthia Nixon, has called for marijuana legalization and says criminalization disproportionately hurts minorities.The work group will be led by Alphonso David, counsel to the governor, and will include experts in public health, public safety and economics.Source: Wall Street Journal (US)Author: Lara KortePublished: August 2, 2018 Copyright: 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.Contact: wsj.ltrs wsj.comWebsite: http://www.wsj.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/RjhxzfjZCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on August 04, 2018 at 06:50:05 PT
festival 
they're on Facebook too!https://www.facebook.com/mainelobsterfestival
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on August 04, 2018 at 06:48:28 PT
Maine Lobster Fest jerks 2018
Look at this!  Maine Lobster Fest was mean to this girl because she smoked some herb, in Maine where's it's legal. Needless to say I'm sending them my feedback.https://www.pressherald.com/2018/08/02/maine-sea-goddess-forced-to-step-down-over-photos-on-social-media/nfo mainelobsterfestival.compresident mainelobsterfestival.comvpresident mainelobsterfestival.comsecretary mainelobsterfestival.comTreasurer mainelobsterfestival.commedia mainelobsterfestival.com
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Comment #2 posted by THE GCW on August 03, 2018 at 13:43:47 PT
affordability, opportunity and security
"...spokesman for state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said Republicans in the chamber are focused on affordability, opportunity and security. “Let the governor and New York City Democrats focus on legalizing drugs,..."It's too bad repub's don't get it, however, things are moving along anyway and that's the story of how cannabis is being RE-legalized.Repub.'s conveniently don't acknowledge how ending cannabis prohibition is a move toward """affordability, opportunity and security""" & to help continue their agenda then refer to cannabis as DRUG.Is that in part because disproportionately caging minorities who are caught with cannabis SERVES THEIR VIEW OF affordability, opportunity and security???
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Comment #1 posted by John Tyler on August 03, 2018 at 08:27:00 PT
Come on Virginia don't let us wait
Most of the New England states, Pennsylvania and now New York. I have seen that Delaware and Maryland are close also. Virginia, get on board this economic train before it leaves the station without you. You could be making millions and millions of dollars. You can do it. The public wants it. Get to work on legalization. Come on Virginia don't let us wait.
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