ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo said that a bill legalizing marijuana – and the revenue anticipated from such a proposal – would not be included in the state’s upcoming budget. However, the governor also is predicting that the state legislature would come to an agreement on pot by June.
The governor made his comments about the issue of marijuana legalization during an interview on WNYC on Wednesday.
Currently recreational marijuana use is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and 34 states have voted to allow medical marijuana use, including New York.
During the Wednesday interview Cuomo was asked whether some counties threatening to opt out of the legislation could slow its progress, Cuomo said they would not, pointing out that they would then lose their share of the state revenues from marijuana sales.
Even if counties opt out of allowing for the sale of marijuana, state law as proposed would still make it legal to possess marijuana across the entire state, meaning local governments would still have to contend with residents using the drug legally.
Both the State Association of Counties and the State School Boards Association have come out recently in opposition of the legalization, saying more research needs to be done into the impact it will have on both public safety and public health – especially for teens and young adults.
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