Cannabis News 04/02/2021

This week we have a big news story out of New York and some updates on American opinions about cannabis and the President’s stance on it.

Federal News

Three in Four Voters Support Legalizing Cannabis

Only one in four voters want to keep marijuana prohibited in the U.S., according to a recent poll. The rest want it to be legalized. Out of the people who want it to be legal, about half want it to be legalized by the federal government and the other half want it to be legalized by state governments.

Both Republicans and Democrats agree that cannabis should be legal at some level. There is no split between the parties, showing that cannabis legalization is a bipartisan issue.

Biden’s Stance on Marijuana “Has Not Changed”

President Biden’s Press Secretary Jen Psaki said this week that his stance on marijuana “has not changed.” This suggests that he is not a proponent of descheduling marijuana, which bills in the Senate propose to do later this year. It may end up that he vetoes a legalization bill if it arrives on his desk.

State News

New York State Legalizes Marijuana

The big news of the week is that New York state has legalized cannabis. Governor Cuomo is probably trying to divert people away from his scandals and passed an amazing bill that has allowed marijuana use in his state. Not only will New Yorkers be allowed to use cannabis, but they will also be allowed to grow it. Up to three plants per person, and six per household will be permitted to be grown for recreational use. This frees people from needing to go to dispensaries and purchase their products. All people over the age of 21 are allowed to grow and use marijuana.

The law also expunges all non-violent marijuana crimes from prior records retroactively. This is a great step forward as other states that have similar laws require people to actively pursue expungement. In New York, you don’t even have to request for the prior crimes to be removed, they are automatically removed.

The medical marijuana law still is still in place and patients will have access to cheaper products for themselves at dispensaries. More medical conditions will be allowed to qualify for a New York marijuana card.