The “Empire State” turns green. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday signed a law legalizing recreational marijuana for people over the age of 21.
“This is a historic day,” Cuomo said in a statement after the signing. The governor of the State of New York had made this subject an “absolute priority” in his budgetary strategy for the coming years. The two chambers of state councilors both approved the law on Tuesday. New York will become the 15th state to make recreational marijuana legal.
Purchases will be subject to 13% sales tax. The new law immediately allows possession of up to 24 grams, for recreational purposes. The use of marijuana is also permitted in most public places where it is permitted to smoke tobacco. It will therefore be possible to smoke weed in Central Park or in the streets of Manathan.
The bill also sets out a plan for the state to create regulations in the coming months to regulate this new marijuana market. Thus, a new state agency, the “Office of Cannabis Management”, will regulate this emerging industry.
#BREAKING: I just signed legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis.
The bill creates automatic expungement of previous marijuana convictions that would now be legal.
This is a historic day.
I thank the Leader and Speaker and the tireless advocacy of so many.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 31, 2021
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The governor of New York also said that the marijuana industry could create between 30,000 and 60,000 jobs in the state and bring in some 350 million dollars in tax revenues.
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