Opinion: NY Pot Legalization a Good Start
posted by Seth Conway | April 9, 2021 | In News, OpinionA week ago, legislators in the state of New York announced plans to push legislation that would dismantle long-standing laws barring the sale, production, and possession of marijuana within the state’s borders.
According to The New York Times, these new regulations are, in part, an effort to bring New York into the same legal framework as surrounding states. This legislation was also created to reduce the cost of law enforcement, increase tax revenue, and pay reparations to those who have been incarcerated.
The New York Times quotes Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, the Democratic majority leader in the Assembly, who was the chief sponsor of the bill: “Unlike any other state in America, this legislation is intentionally about equity. Equity is not a second thought; it’s the first one, and it needs to be, because the people who paid the price for this war on drugs have lost so much.”
I believe that this sort of sentiment is imperative. Repealing legislation without understanding the damage that it has done only compounds the animosity that some of these targeted communities are bound to feel. By prioritizing the communities most closely impacted by marijuana prohibition, lawmakers can aim to put the power of distribution back in the hands of those who have been previously wronged.
While this legislation is certainly a good start, there is more work to be done. As of the current iteration legislation, marijuana consumption in public will be completely lawful. While I agree that it’s harmful to prosecute marijuana sales and production, I can’t say I would want to be smelling it in public places. New York lawmakers would do well to follow in Colorado’s footsteps, and prohibit smokers from enjoying in public, just like cigarettes.
Photo courtesy of Lindsay Fox
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