Cuomo administration report backs marijuana legalization in New York
The new Health Department report says that cannabis legalization comes with the potential for substantial tax revenue
Friday, July 13, 2018
The administration of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) released a state Health Department report that says the "positive effects" of legalization "outweigh the potential negative impacts." "Numerous NYS agencies and subject matter experts in the fields of public health, mental health, substance use, public safety, transportation, and economics worked in developing this assessment," the 75-page document says. "No insurmountable obstacles to regulation of marijuana were raised." The report estimates that legal marijuana sales could generate between $248.1 million and $677.7 million in revenues for the state in the first year, depending on tax and usage rates. (See also: Cuomo moves closer to marijuana legalization in New York)