Advocates for criminal justice reform hope it will also help redress the inequities of a system that has locked up people of color for marijuana offenses at disproportionate rates.
There are people on both sides of the fence when it comes to the legalization of marijuana. But for now, it looks as though New York is about to become the 15th state to legalize recreational use of the drug.
With the legalization of Marijuana in several states across the nation, including Massachusetts, growers and developers of products are getting creative.
As a green gold rush in legal marijuana and its non-drug cousin hemp spreads across North America, a growing number of colleges are adding cannabis to the curriculum to prepare graduates for careers cultivating, researching, analyzing and marketing the herb.
Governor Andrew Cuomo's office and other state officials are encouraging community members to participate in a listening session on recreational marijuana legalization.
If New York legalizes recreational marijuana it must also consider expunging the criminal records of thousands of people who were arrested for using the drug, New York state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters Wednesday.