ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The first licenses to sell recreational marijuana in New York will go to people who were casualties of the war on drugs. State officials said Wednesday that people with marijuana-related convictions will get dibs on the first 100 to 200 retail cannabis licenses awarded by the New York. It’s part of a broader effort to redress the inequities of a justice system that locked up a disproportionate number of people of color for drug crimes. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is set to announce the planned regulations for “social equity” applicants Thursday.
Photo: FILE – The THC percentages of recreational marijuana are visible on the product packaging sitting on a countertop, April 19, 2021, in Mamaroneck, N.Y. New York is proposing a $200 million fund to help people of color, women and some others start marijuana businesses. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)
