Marijuana Laws
New York Marijuana Laws Made Easy for You
April 17, 2018 - Marijuana Laws
New York: NYC and THC
If you’re in the Big Apple, you should know that the New York marijuana laws have decriminalized possession, but that’s only as long as marijuana is out of public view. This decriminalization goes back to 1977 when the state decided that first time possession under 25 grams of marijuana would just be an infraction, with a $100 fine. But, if marijuana is possessed in the “public view” – a term that’s up for interpretation by law enforcement – it’s a class B misdemeanor, which could come with six months of incarceration.
Medical marijuana in New York became an eligible market in 2014 when the state permitted five growers to open up four dispensaries each in the state. Is marijuana legal in New York? New York medical marijuana is the only permissible kind, for the time being.
Current Legal Status in New York
- Medical Marijuana in New York: Legal since 2014
- Recreational New York Marijuana Laws: Still Illegal
- Policy group(s) active in state: Empire State NORML, MarijuanaReform.org, NY Cannabar
- Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Cynthia Nixon, Liz Krueger
- Top brand(s) based in state: Columbia Care NY, Etain Health
- Projected tax revenue from a year of recreational marijuana: $400 million
As of now, Governor Cuomo is on the fence about recreational legalization, but he wants to look into more facts, now that Massachusetts has legalized and New Jersey is trying to. The new Democratic candidate for governor, Cynthia Nixon – who previously starred in Sex and the City, as the character Miranda – has put marijuana front and center in her campaign, and she really wants to change the New York marijuana laws.
Thinking of checking out other east coast marijuana options? Check out all US marijuana laws here!