Legalizing marijuana this year had been one of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s top priorities. For the second year in a row, he had included marijuana legalization in his budget proposal to state lawmakers. However, the coronavirus pandemic came along, and as New York quickly became the epicenter of America’s outbreak, legislative priorities shifted.
In the wake of the crisis, Governor Cuomo stated that it was unlikely state lawmakers would be able to effectively tackle the legalization issue in time. New York isn’t the only state to experience this. Most drug legalization campaigns have been put on hold as people practice self-isolation and social distancing.
Some campaigners have argued that there are other means that could be used to continue with the legalization process. According to Cuomo, lawmakers could theoretically use meeting software like Zoom to pass the marijuana legalization legislation. However, he says that due to the complex nature of the issue, he wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.
When asked about the prospects of legalizing cannabis after the legislature failed to do so in the state budget, he said that it’s ‘totally up to them.’ His opinion, though, is that marijuana legalization could prove too complicated to tackle remotely.
“In terms of passing legislation remotely, they can do that. That’s up to them. As far as getting into a very complex issue that requires real analysis and real data and trying to do that on Zoom, I don’t know that that’s the best way to do it, but that’s up to them also,” he says.
He notes that despite not being able to convene at the Capitol, legislators have been hard at work. “From a taxpayer’s point of view, if they think their assemblyperson or senator isn’t working because they’re not here, they have to think again. They’re working. They’re working probably harder than they normally work.”
Last month, lawmakers rolled out a revised bill to legalize marijuana as the prospects of legalization through the budget became slimmer. It would have allowed individuals 21 and older to purchase marijuana from licensed retailers and cultivate up to six plants for personal use.
“In an ideal world for advocates, language from the revised bill would be inserted into the budget before it arrives at Cuomo’s desk. But that prospect seems dimmed in light of the current crisis, which has shifted legislative priorities,” said New York Deputy State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance.
Experts think marijuana companies like Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF) may be wondering when cannabis legalization will ever become a reality for the people of New York State.
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