ALBANY, NY – After years of false starts, New York state lawmakers said Wednesday they had reached an agreement to legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational use by adults starting next year.
State Senator Liz Krueger said lawmakers were finalizing a bill that would create a new government regulator for cannabis products and decriminalize possession of up to three ounces of marijuana. New Yorkers will be allowed to grow marijuana for personal use, and the state will study a new system to determine if drivers are drunk because of marijuana use, she said.
The bill will be passed by the national assembly and senate next week, lawmakers said. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, has proposed legalizing marijuana in the state budget due next week. He stopped legalization of marijuana in his 2019 and 2020 budget proposals, but it was removed after disagreements with Democrats dominating the state assembly and senate.
During an unrelated briefing on Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo said, “We are close, but we have already been close three times.” Governor spokesmen did not immediately respond to specific questions about the bill.
Ms. Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat who sponsors the measure, said the final legislation evolved following input from industry stakeholders across the country.