New York Pushes to Legalize and Study Cannabis in 2020
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]N[/dropcap]ew York State is pushing to legalize cannabis in 2020, and part of the push includes plans for the creation of a facility for studying cannabis.
According to lohud, the proposed center would be called the State University of New York Global Cannabis Center for Science, Research and Education. It would focus on addressing health concerns regarding cannabis consumption.
“The federal government failed Americans with opioids, and we cannot allow that to happen with cannabinoids,” Cuomo said in the plan he released, according to lohud. “Until now, the cannabinoid industry has gone unregulated and unchecked, and there is a dearth of independent research on the science, the safety risks, and the dangers and benefits associated with its potential use.”
The plan to legalize cannabis in New York failed last year, so the hope is that this new addition will help push legislation through. If recreational cannabis does pass, adults 21 and older will be able to buy cannabis, and there will be programs in place to promote social equity.
Still, despite having good intentions in place, this new plan is expected to face a lot of debate in the state. Folks are already arguing about how to tax, market and test cannabis if it does get legalized, as well as what to do with the cannabis tax revenue when collected.
For a long time now, New York has come under fire for being a hotbed for cannabis laws that unfairly target minorities. Because of this, the city has worked on plans to de-escalate the war against cannabis and decriminalize cannabis on a local level in New York City. Still, they have failed to legalize, and many would like to see that change. It’s unclear what will happen with New York and cannabis, but advocates aren’t giving up any time soon.
