Cuomo Appoints Group To Draft Bill For Regulating Marijuana
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appointed a group of New York state government and law enforcement officials and academics to draft legislation for regulating recreational marijuana.
The Democrat announced Thursday that the group will be led by his counsel, Alphonso David, who will also serve as liaison between the governor's office and stakeholders.
The announcement comes three weeks after state officials issued a long-awaited report on legalization of marijuana in New York. The health department analysis concluded that the benefits of legalizing pot outweigh the risks.
"I have reviewed the multi-agency report commissioned last January and have discussed its findings with Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker," Cuomo said in a statement. "The next steps must be taken thoughtfully and deliberately. As we work to implement the report's recommendations through legislation, we must thoroughly consider all aspects of a regulated marijuana program, including its impact on public health, criminal justice and State revenue, and mitigate any potential risks associated with it. I thank the members of the workgroup for their time and expertise as we work to craft a model program."
The 20-member workgroup includes police officials, commissioners for the health, transportation and agriculture departments and deans from the University at Albany and the University at Buffalo.
They're tasked with coming up with a program for the Legislature to consider when it returns to Albany in January.
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