NY must be cautious in its marijuana rollout

At the U.S. Open this past week in Queens, tennis player Maria Sakkari of Greece smelled marijuana in the air, a pungent odor that has become all too familiar to New Yorkers. It was strong enough during her match on Court 17 that Sakkari complained to the chair umpire. She wasn’t the only player to do so at the Open.

“It was weed,” Sakkari said. “It was smelling quite a lot.” Another player complained the court area “smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room … Oh my God, it’s everywhere.”

Open officials investigated the origin of the odors but found no culprit. Smoking at this tennis site is not permitted. But such awkward experiences have become commonplace for many New Yorkers. People are smelling marijuana everywhere — in public places, on the streets, and even in their backyards. 

The unwanted whiffs of pot beg a serious question: What are we, as a society, getting into with legalized marijuana?

New York State is in the early stages of a large social experiment and is struggling to provide an answer. But there already seems enough evidence to make some sober assessments.

On Long Island, consumer demand for legal pot seems high. This summer, long lines of customers have stood outside the new Strain Stars in East Farmingdale, the only recreational marijuana dispensary in the region. Some 35 other businesses are expected to follow in Nassau and Suffolk counties if they can find locations.

LEGAL HURDLES

That won’t be easy given the legal hurdles posed by some local governments. On Tuesday, an Albany judge paused the opening of 23 planned pot shops around the state because of questions surrounding licensing requirements, adding another delay to the slow rollout of authorized pot dispensaries since the bill legalizing recreational pot use was approved in 2021.

But clearly, after many years of often-bitter legislative debate, the public determined it wants weed legalized, the same way Prohibition against alcohol ended in 1933 after the public demanded legal drinking.

One rationale for legalized marijuana is to take profits from criminals and put them into public treasuries. Advocates say states where marijuana is legal generated more than $3.7 billion in cannabis tax revenue in 2022 from adult-use sales.

New York's numbers are far from complete. But the estimated average daily take from 1,100 customers spending about $100 each at the East Farmingdale store alone is impressive by any local business standards. Its owners say Strain Stars generated between $400,000 and $500,000 in sales tax during its first month. No doubt this new state approach will take a big bite out of the profits of those who grew and sold marijuana illegally for decades.

There are other good signs. Legalization in New York and 22 other states is slowly reducing the cruel and unnecessary practice of jailing citizens for possessing small amounts of grass for recreational use. For more than a generation, most of society has considered smoking a joint the equivalent of having a beer or mixed drink.

UNFAIR ARRESTS

Too many people, particularly those of color, were arrested for marijuana possession, and subsequent convictions hurt their employment chances. Thankfully, this trend seems to be ebbing. According to the FBI, state and local authorities have reported a drop in marijuana possession arrests. And last week, top Biden administration health officials proposed reclassifying marijuana criminally — from a top-level controlled substance like heroin to a lower ranking like cold medicine with codeine. That sensible move would ease the burden on jail and prisons, and help police redirect attention to more important matters.

Legalization also has benefited those who use marijuana for health-related problems, especially pain relief when other methods aren’t as effective. Overall, state-regulated dispensing of marijuana in reliable and safe portions at local stores is far better than the wildly uneven and sometimes dangerous business of illegal weed. On Long Island, police in the past decade have found illegal marijuana grown in local sumps where sewage flows.

Yet, there is still much we don’t know from this huge social experiment, especially in terms of health. Marijuana use among young and middle-aged adults has risen significantly in the past decade. This comes as addiction treatment is stretched and many can’t afford it due to lack of insurance.

What will be the long-term impact of legalization? Some current medical research shows that chronic marijuana use can affect attention, memory and social interactions, especially among adolescents. One study published in August found that legalization in Colorado has led to increased acute care visits and more mental disorders, driving-while-high incidents, and marijuana-related lung injuries. A recent study in Washington state found that 21% of cannabis users developed some form of dependency or other disorders.

Surely, advocates will argue that legalization’s benefits far outweigh its negatives. But we would be wise to keep our eyes open, not be caught by surprise by any further troubling developments in New York, and make changes in our approach as necessary.