New York State Bar Association Supports New Cannabis Law
3.31.2021
Scott M. Karson, president of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), issued the following statement today on the vote by the state Legislature to legalize cannabis for adult-use and expand the existing medical program:
“The New York State Bar Association applauds the passage of this important measure that will undo years of harm inflicted on lower-income minority communities by ill-conceived cannabis prohibition. NYSBA has been advocating for the legalization of cannabis for adult-use since its Committee on Cannabis Law completed an exhaustive study on the subject in January of 2020. We are particularly encouraged by the social equity provisions of the law, which have been a focus of our legislative priorities. It is only right that individuals who have borne the brunt of years of cannabis enforcement are able to benefit from adult-use legalization. The automatic expungement and resentencing of prior cannabis convictions and the goal of issuing half the licenses to grow the plant to women and minority-owned businesses are indeed laudable. As the regulatory process plays out in the coming months, NYSBA will work to educate lawyers, policy makers and members of the public about the implications of this new statute.”
About the New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. Since 1876, the Association has helped shape the development of law, educated and informed the legal profession and the public, and championed the rights of New Yorkers through advocacy and guidance in our communities.
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Contact: Susan DeSantis
[email protected]
201-575-5756
