Gary Colmey, 65, saw three probation officers walk into his Rome store, Gary’s Music. They weren’t there to buy a musical instrument. In the back of his music store, Colmey runs a separate business called Gary’s Indoor Garden Supply. The supply store sells “absolutely legal cannabis,” or CBD, a product that does not get the […]
New York
10,872 New Yorkers to See Their Marijuana Convictions Disappear
Even as states across the country have legalized marijuana, potentially opening the door to a multibillion dollar industry, the impact of marijuana criminalization is still being felt by people — mostly black and Hispanic — whose records are marked by low-level convictions related to the drug. But on Wednesday, New York began the process of expunging […]
NY Officially Decriminalized Marijuana Today. Here’s What You Should Know.
A bill signed into law 30 days ago takes effect today, partially decriminalizing marijuana possession (again). Residents across New York State can publicly possess or smoke up to 2 ounces of marijuana without criminal penalties. The new law changes Marijuana Possession in the Fifth Degree from a low-level misdemeanor to a non-criminal violation. That means police, in […]
New York governor signs bill decriminalizing marijuana use
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Monday signed a bill decriminalizing the use of marijuana in the state and expunge the records of some people convicted on cannabis-related charges. “Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by laws governing marijuana for far too long, and today we are ending this injustice once and for all,” […]
New York lawmakers vow renewed marijuana legalization push in 2020
The push to legalize marijuana this year came to a grinding halt — one that certain New York lawmakers trust is temporary. State Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D-Buffalo), the sponsors of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, say they intend to revive the bill during the next legislative session. Several proponents of recreational use […]
New York Weed Dealers on Legalization: ‘I Don’t Want to Be Left in the Dark’
New York lawmakers failed to reach a deal to legalize recreational marijuana during the legislative session that ended last month, punting the issue until they reconvene in January of next year. The latest development in the months-long back and forth was received with mixed emotions from one group of New Yorkers who would be affected by any […]
The Empire State of Cannabis
Marijuana decriminalization is in, adult-use is out, a regulated hemp-derived CBD marketplace is in limbo, and NYC begins CBD-ban. For New York’s cannabis industry, 2019 began with a bang and ended with a whimper. In January, Governor Cuomo announced that legalizing marijuana and creating a regulated adult-use marketplace was a top legislative priority. Indeed, Governor […]
Inside NY’s new marijuana decriminalization law: How it works
Legalization of marijuana for recreational use failed in New York this year. So lawmakers turned instead to “decriminalization.” But what, exactly, does that mean? Here’s how one advocate who favored legalization sees decriminalization: “You can have some (marijuana) but you can’t buy it, can’t sell it, can’t trade or grow it and you’ll still be arrested […]
New York lawmakers strike deal to decriminalize marijuana possession
State lawmakers were poised to give final passage Thursday night to a measure further decriminalizing possession of marijuana and create a process that could lead to the clearing of marijuana conviction records for tens of thousands of people. A separate measure to greatly expand the state’s existing medical marijuana program — which suffers from high […]
Legalizing marijuana in New York won’t happen in final days of legislative session
Legalizing marijuana in New York will have to wait until next year. Lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are set to end the legislation session in the next day or two without an agreement to make New York the 11th state to allow marijuana sales and possession. Supporters scrambled this week to put together legislation that would satisfy undecided […]
Marijuana Legalization Isn’t Dead Yet in New York
Lawmakers in New York are mounting a renewed and frantic push to legalize marijuana before the legislative session ends on Wednesday, even as debates about revenue and political blowback that doomed an earlier attempt have threatened to derail the effort again. Staff members from the State Senate, Assembly and governor’s office met throughout the weekend, […]
Cuomo cites marijuana legalization as a top priority
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo began lowering expectations on Tuesday for what state lawmakers may accomplish before leaving Albany on June 19. The governor outlined an aggressive to-do list for the final four weeks of the legislative session, including legalization of marijuana and allowing driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants. Cuomo also cast doubt on whether the […]
How Looser Medical Marijuana Laws Could Bite NY In The Bud
The Brian Lehrer Show spent three weeks looking at the issues facing marijuana legalization in the tri-state area for a series called Reefer, Managed. Here’s the first of three stories cataloguing some of their findings for Gothamist. As New York’s legislature struggles to reach a consensus on how to legalize recreational marijuana, some lawmakers are also seeking to expand […]
Marijuana Legalization Hits a Wall: First in New Jersey, Then in New York
In March, both states seemed days away from a landmark legalization deal. Now inertia is feeding doubts that it can happen this year. A push to legalize recreational marijuana in New York and New Jersey this year appears all but dead in both states, a dramatic fall for an effort that just over a month […]
Marijuana Testing of Job Applicants Is Barred by New York City in Groundbreaking Measure
Most employers in New York City would no longer be able to force job applicants to take drug tests for marijuana use, under a bill overwhelmingly approved this week by the City Council. If the drug-screening law is enacted, it would put New York in relatively uncharted territory. Several drug policy and employment experts said […]
Push for legal marijuana is stalled in New York government
Time is ticking for New York’s governor and state lawmakers as they continue to hash out a deal to fund the government for the coming fiscal year. As the Monday deadline approaches to approve the budget, the push for legalizing adult-use cannabis does not appear to have made the cut. The Albany Times-Union reported Thursday legalized marijuana […]
Advocates, Cuomo disagree on status of marijuana legalization talks
Marijuana advocates say negotiations at the state Capitol to legalize the drug for adult use have been halted as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders this week try to nail down the final pieces of a state budget agreement. Sources with knowledge of the matter said a number of rank-and-file legislators were told marijuana […]
Recreational marijuana in New York: More counties say they will opt out
ALBANY – County leaders are lining up to opt out of allowing legal marijuana sales even if New York legalizes the drug. Executives in Rockland, Putnam and Chemung counties told the USA TODAY Network’s Albany Bureau this week they will recommend prohibiting marijuana sales within their borders should Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s legalization proposal be approved. They […]
