Legalization efforts in New York State

Legalization efforts in New York State

A worker is seen weighing marijuana for packaging at Montana Advanced Caregivers, a medical marijuana dispensary, Nov. 11, 2020, in Billings, Mont. A Gallup Poll released Nov. 9 indicated that 68% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana — double the approval rate in 2003. That wide margin was evident in the election, with marijuana measures passing with strong bipartisan support. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling for the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use by adults, his third attempt in as many years to get the drug fully legalized in the state. Cuomo, a Democrat, planned to announce his proposal Wednesday as part of his upcoming State of the State agenda. It calls for the creation of a new Office of Cannabis Management that would oversee recreational use as well as existing medical use. Cuomo’s latest legalization proposal follows two unsuccessful attempts in 2019 and 2020 to fully legalize marijuana, which both fell short despite Democrats’ 2018 win of both chambers of the Legislature.

(AP Photo/Matthew Brown)