Only two states allow for legal use of recreational marijuana (Colorado and Washington), but New York may become the third — and soon, with a proposal set for a potential 2015 implementation.
New York Senator Liz Krueger plans to introduce a bill making the Empire State the third jurisdiction in which adults are free to use marijuana as they please. Several other states allow for medicinal marijuana use, but requirements vary and not all states permit the substance to be prescribed for conditions consistently. As such, Californian users of medicinal marijuana are allowed a broader scope of use than residents in states with stricter usage guidelines.
Should Krueger’s proposal come to fruition, however, the residents of New York will face no such uncertainty. The Democratic representative from Manhattan announced her recreational marijuana bill plans Sunday, citing increased tax revenue as one benefit of the bill.
At a campaign rally for Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, she explained:
“I will push for taxation and regulation of marijuana. I continue to work with experts around the country and to evaluate laws and regulations being put into place now.”
According to the New York State Senator, initial legalization of limited medical marijuana was a necessary step to push forward the new proposal. Krueger added:
“I knew we needed to move medical marijuana into law before people would focus on the bigger question, tax and regulation … I think my legislative proposal fits in very nicely with what the state has already committed to move forward with.”
While Colorado and Washington required referendums to legalize recreational marijuana, New York’s legislative process does not require a vote to take place, enabling it to pass quickly.