Eliminate everything about it!
New York state officials reached an agreement to legalize marijuana, legislative sources told the Post on Wednesday – just hours after Governor Andrew Cuomo called it “essential” to the state’s social and economic well-being .
Reform measures will be included in laws passed as part of the state budget on April 1, sources said
The deal would allow New Yorkers to legally buy and own up to 85 grams of marijuana and even grow plants for their personal use, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The plans provide for a 9 percent state tax on retail sales, which could generate $ 300 million a year in new revenue, the newspaper said.
Cities, towns and villages may add another 4 percent sales tax or choose not to allow local sales and deliveries, according to the report.
The deal reportedly includes the creation of a new state regulatory agency, the Office of Cannabis Management, to license producers, retail sales, delivery and consumption on the spot, and it was unclear when they could actually start.
Unresolved issues include how tax money would be distributed and the agency’s oversight, which Cuomo wanted under his control, the Journal said.
Under the proposed legislation, the office would respond to a five-member council with three nominees for governor and one selected by the state Senate and Assembly, respectively, state senator Liz Kreuger and others familiar with the plan told the Journal.
During a news conference on Thursday, Cuomo said he was making marijuana legalization a top priority in budget negotiations with lawmakers.
“This year we have to do this, and doing it when the budget is approved is essential,” he said.
“Cannabis is not just social equality, it is also a recipe for the state.”