New York should eliminate penalties currently handed down to individuals caught possessing small amounts of marijuana, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday, citing a “dramatic shift in public opinion” evidenced by pot prohibitions being reined in from coast to coast.
The governor’s recommendation to remove criminal penalties appeared buried in a 383-page book containing his 2017 plans distributed Wednesday evening among the state legislature, New York Daily News reported.
“The illegal sale of marijuana cannot and will not be tolerated in New York State, but data consistently show that recreational users of marijuana pose little to no threat to public safety,” the Democrat wrote on page 191 of the report.
Specifically, Mr. Cuomo said New York state should remove “the criminal penalties that too often result in the over-prosecution and jailing of nonviolent individuals.”
People caught with small amounts of marijuana wouldn’t be prosecuted under Mr. Cuomo’s plan, but dealing weed would still be a criminal offense.
Nearly 90 percent of pot violations recorded during 2016 were for possession and not sale, according to the governor’s report.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Marijuana Decriminalization Proposed By New York Governor
Author: Andrew Blake
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Photo Credit: Hans Pennink
Website: The Washington Times
