New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released his proposal for legalizing marijuana in New York on Tuesday, which would allow cannabis for adult-use in the state for the first time, reported Democrat & Chronicle.
The governor's plans include the creation of the Office of Cannabis Management, a new state office that would be in charge of cannabis regulation. It would also develop a program designed to review past cannabis convictions as part of Cuomo's promise to clear the records of people previously convicted of marijuana possession.
The proposal also outlines three different taxes that would be imposed on the flower at the cultivation or wholesale stages, including a 20 percent state tax, a 2 percent local tax, and a per-gram tax on growers.
While Cuomo stated he was opposed to the legalization of cannabis in the past, he changed his stance last year after a New York Department of Health study confirmed that there were more advantages than drawbacks when it comes to legalization.
The governor's change in thinking mirrors what is quickly happening in the rest of the country, as legalization continued to sweep the nation in 2018. Michigan became the 10th state to legalize recreational cannabis during last year's midterms, while Utah and Missouri both voted to legalize medical use.
