Image by Thought Catalog via Unsplash
On March 31st, 2021, the state of New York became the fifteenth in America to legalize recreational cannabis use, with the promise of legislation that differed from that of the previous fourteen. As with any newly signed bill, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act is still months, or possibly years, ahead of its full implementation; however, New Yorkers have reason to excitedly look forward to the effects of what champion Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes says “hasn’t really been done in any other state”. The bill allows home cultivation of cannabis, is projected to generate tax revenue that will be recycled into New York’s socioeconomic equity programs and education funding, and even offers microgrowers a seat at the table. Most importantly, the bill stands as one win in an ongoing battle for racial equality; effective immediately, those convicted of marijuana-related charges (disproportionately Black and Latinx New Yorkers) that have now been legalized will have their criminal records expunged.
On this HealthCetera podcast, Dr. Diana Mason, PhD, RN, host of this program, discusses The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act and its implications with Phillip Pantuso, Managing Editor of The River, an online regional news outlet; and Dennis Morgan, Project Director for the Catskills Addiction Coalition (CAC) and a certified recovery peer advocate.
This interview first aired on May 5, 2021, on Healthcetera in the Catskills on WIOX radio.
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