New York's path to legalizing marijuana
The legalization of cannabis in New York was never going to be an easy ride, even with other states’ prior efforts as models to follow or avoid. And New York’s progress toward licensing dispensaries has indeed been chronicled and justifiably criticized.
Renee Goodwin and Jennifer Pomeranz, professors at Columbia University and New York University argue that New York has “jumped on the bandwagon of legalization” without properly considering the public health issues especially as they relate to children, and without a major public relations campaign “to educate the public and those charged with protecting the public …”
Columnist William F.B. O’Reilly finds fault with the licensing process, specifically, the priority given to those arrested previously for marijuana offenses or anyone living in “communities disproportionately impacted” by former drug laws. O’Reilly writes that imprisoning African Americans at a greater rate than white Americans for the same crime was wrong, as was done in the past. “But is rewarding past illegal behavior a good public policy decision?” he asks. His answer: No.
The editorial board has encouraged a slow roll to legalization, writing about the difficulties “between legalizing an intoxicant and creating a situation where its use is thoroughly normalized, heavily promoted and omnipresent.” The board encouraged Long Island towns thinking of opting in to allow sales to take their time: “In the context of such a huge societal change, going slowly can’t hurt.”
One concern has been the dangers of driving while high, especially acute given the region’s struggle with people driving while drunk. But testing for pot isn’t as easy or revealing as testing for blood alcohol. And while alcohol and pot have different impacts on drivers, the board noted that “pot impairs vision, decision-making, and reaction time. That means if you feel different, you drive different.”
Arguing the other side is cannabis advocate Beryl Solomon Jackowitz, of Long Beach, who writes that legalization will put the illicit market out of business and make it harder for minors to obtain cannabis. Jackowitz founded an online health and wellness retail site that sells hemp-derived CBD products. “By taking cannabis sales out of the shadows and allowing for accessible, highly regulated dispensaries, Long Island municipalities will increase tax revenue, add jobs, and ensure that our communities are safe and secure,” Jackowitz writes.
It's a debate that seems likely to continue, long after the sales begin.
- Michael Dobie
