The push for legal, recreational marijuana is sweeping across America. Delaware just became the 22nd state to legalize recreational cannabis — and four more states could join the party in the coming years.
In the densely populated Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, the rollout of legal weed has been called slow and cumbersome, allowing for the proliferation of “gray” market storefronts and businesses to sell marijuana without going through the regulatory process. In New York City, for example, the mayor’s office estimates the city is home to 1,400 illicit businesses selling marijuana without a license.
“Those legitimate businesses face stiff competition from shops that are not following the rules,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg during a Feb. 7 news conference. “It is time for the operation of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries to end.”
At the same time, state officials are trying to right the historical wrongs brought about by the decades-long “War on Drugs.” New York, Connecticut and New Jersey all have social equity components in their recreational marijuana programs, focusing on granting licenses to applicants with previous marijuana-related criminal convictions.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Comment *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
Δ
Sacramento is one of the best cities in the nation for cannabis fans, according to a new study. Real Estate Witch and Leafly, an online cannabis guide and marketplace, analyzed…
For the last two years, people have been able to stroll into New Jersey dispensaries to buy weed. But growing your own cannabis plant remains a third-degree felony. Despite a growing…
In the culture of cannabis, April 20 is a holiday when those who partake light up in enjoyment and in protest of prohibition. Although the origins of “4/20” are debated…
Saturday marks marijuana culture’s high holiday, 4/20, when college students gather — at 4:20 p.m. — in clouds of smoke on campus quads and pot shops in legal-weed states thank…