Despite coronavirus, New York governor still pushes for cannabis legalization

While New York State organizes to slow the spread of the coronavirus, lawmakers are still working to tie up their budget before the April 1 deadline and incorporate the legalization of the cannabis.

At a press conference on Monday, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo said that in addition to ending New York's cannabis ban, he would allocate $30 million to environmental protection.

«I want to go as far as I can,» he said. declared Cuomo. »But I want to do things right.»

While negotiations around the project continue, the proposed legalization of cannabis in New York State would allow people aged 21 and over to buy cannabis from licensed retailers and grow up to six plants for personal use.

Andrew Cuomo included legalization in his budget proposal for the second year running, and had discussed the importance of passing reform in his State of the State address in January. He has also repeatedly insisted that the budget should be the vehicle for reform.

«In an ideal world, the revised bill should be inserted into the budget before it reaches Cuomo's desk,» a declared Melissa Moore, deputy director of the Drug Policy Alliance in New York. «But that outlook seems tarnished in light of the current crisis, which has shifted legislative priorities.»

Even as officials work on the health response to the coronavirus, Cuomo insisted that passing reform through the state budget is the surest way to succeed. And the budget could in fact be considered on a «fast-track» basis with a deal being struck as early as this week due to the imperative of working on the pandemic response.

«We have to make the political decisions. The budget is the time to make political decisions,» he said in a conference call with reporters on Saturday, adding that «without the budget, the easiest thing for a legislative body to do is nothing.».

"Yes" Cuomo says he will be pushing for amending bail reform and legalizing marijuana in the "accelerated" budget process that could have lawmakers and governor making a deal by end of upcoming week "We're not talking about a bare-bones budget"

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- Zach Williams (@ZachReports) March 14, 2020

Cannabis could have been legalized last year in New York State. In the end, the agreement unsuccessful, certain points, such as the allocation of tax revenues, remain unresolved.

In the latest version of the bill, a tax of 18% would be imposed on cannabis sales. After covering implementation costs, revenue from these taxes would be allocated to three areas: 25% for the state operating fund, provided it is earmarked for the Department of Education, 25% for a substance abuse treatment and public education fund, and 50% for a community grant reinvestment fund.