Albany – The following statement can be attributed to the Drug Policy Alliance, New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association and New York Cannabis Growers & Processors Association in support of key policies in the Marijuana Reform & Taxation Act (MRTA). The announced amendments for Governor Cuomo’s Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act are a step in the right direction, but do not adequately address widely-held concerns. The organizations urge the Governor to work with the Legislature to pass comprehensive, equitable, and timely legalization “without further delay.”
“With New York slated to become one of the largest and most consequential legal cannabis markets in the nation, we have an opportunity to set the global standard for adult-use regulation. Comprehensive legalization provides the framework to create statewide economic growth, begin to remedy decades of disproportionate harm to communities of color, and establish an equitable marketplace that provides access to all New Yorkers. The Governor’s proposed Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act (CRTA) misses the mark in setting this standard and, in some ways, further perpetuates the harms of prohibition. It also fails to address the urgent need to improve access for medical marijuana patients.
The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), proposed by Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, is currently the best approach to legalize adult-use cannabis for hard-hit communities, our economy, and the people of New York. We urge Governor Cuomo to work with legislative leaders to swiftly pass the MRTA to create much-needed jobs, generate tax revenue and local economic activity, bring vital improvements to the medical marijuana program, and advance equity and justice for communities without further delay.”
