Indopedia All Things Marijuana
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appointed a group of New York state government and law enforcement officials and academics to draft legislation for regulating recreational cannabis.
Cuomo announced Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, that the group will be led by his counsel, Alphonso David, who will also serve as a liaison between the governor’s office and stakeholders.
The announcement comes after state officials in July 2018 issued a long-awaited report on the legalization of cannabis in New York. The health department analysis concluded that the benefits of legalizing marijuana outweigh the risks.
The 20-member group includes police officials, commissioners for the health, transportation and agriculture departments, and deans from the State University of New York campuses in Albany and Buffalo.
They’re tasked with coming up with a program for the Legislature to consider when it returns to Albany in January 2019.
