On Wednesday, March 31, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed new cannabis legislation which legalized recreational marijuana use for adults 21 years and older. This historical legislation comes after years of debate over economic and tax issues, as well as backlash from anti-drug groups and advocates. As the 15th state to legalize recreational cannabis use, New York is positioned to rise to the top in cannabis sales. 

For some, this new legislation threatens the anti-drug narrative that has been in place for decades. For many more, this new legislation means long overdue economic and racial equity. 

Black and Latino communities have been historically hit with disproportionate marijuana charges. The legislation passed states that 40% of the tax revenue will be put back into these minority communities that have been negatively affected. This new legislation also aims to have individuals with marijuana-related charges who are no longer criminalized have their records automatically expunged. 

While it is impossible to erase the years of systemic racism within the U.S. and New York state justice systems, this new legislation is a move in the right direction.

Racial injustices aside, this legislation will save millions in taxpayer dollars. In an article for The New York Post, Bruce Barcott cites that “the average marijuana arrest costs $4,390 in taxpayer money,” and with an average of 24,000 arrests annually, those dollars add up. It is particularly upsetting to learn that a majority of these arrests affected minority communities and the funding that could have been used for education or other structural funding. 

Alongside monetary concerns regarding this new legislation, backlash from anti-drug groups argue that the legalization will increase teen drug use. The Journal for Adolescent Health, however, has published a study that says the opposite. After legalization in Colorado and Washington in 2012, studies were conducted relating to this exact issue, and the findings suggest “minimal short-term effects of [recreational marijuana legalization] on adolescent substance use, with small declines in marijuana use.” With more regulation regarding legal recreational marijuana, there is less of an opportunity for teens to access and abuse it. 

The legalization of recreational marijuana has been a long time coming. It is time that we realize the health and public safety benefits that come along with it. It is time we realize how minority communities have been disproportionately affected by marijuana related charges and take on a more combative role in preventing it. 

With these things in mind, this new legislation can create a more equitable future, a stronger economy and a healthier environment for all.

Photo from Flickr