Legalization Of Marijuana, Racism And The Potential For Economic Improvement

Illustration of marijuana Unsplash / @ newhighmediagroup)

JAKARTA - New York will join 14 other states in the United States and the District of Columbia, which legalize recreational use of marijuana.

This was made possible after two-state parliamentary chambers passed a bill legalizing marijuana on Tuesday this week. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also confirmed that he would sign the Act.

"It has been too long that the prohibition of marijuana has disproportionately targeted people of color with harsh prison terms", Cuomo said in a statement, according to the Korea Times.

"This important legislation provides justice for long-marginalized communities, embraces new industries that will grow the economy, and establishes substantial security guards for the public", Cuomo continued.

Cuomo's office said the changes could result in the additional USD 350 million in regional financial coffers from annual taxes, creating tens of thousands of jobs.

This legalization will later allow adults aged 21 and over to buy marijuana, grow cannabis for personal consumption at home, with plans to divert part of the resulting tax funds towards health care and education.

The legalization also made New York automatically delete the records of people convicted of marijuana-related offenses, who are no longer criminalized. The law will also remove penalties for possession of up to three ounces of the drug (85 grams), a new limit on private ownership. The existing medical marijuana program will be expanded.

NORML, a pro-marijuana group, welcomes this news from New York state. They say tens of thousands of New Yorkers are arrested each year for petty marijuana offenses. Most of them are young, poor and people of color.

"Legalization of marijuana is imperative for racial and criminal justice. Today's vote is an important step towards a fairer system", New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

The state plans to tax marijuana sales at nine percent, with revenue from an additional four percent tax shared between local and city/county governments.