I attended the legal marijuana hearing held by Governor Cuomo on Tuesday evening and I learned A LOT about some of the programs the state already has for eligible patients and what a recreational status for weed could do to boost our economy and improve our state by adding in more tax revenue. One big thing I learned is that weed is far superior to opiates in that it's non addictive and far safer to consume for pain, and that it can also be used to help people trying to ween themselves off of opiate dependence.
Another thing that was touched on was that state tax revenue would be absolutely massive, with early estimates ranging between $248 million to $677 million annually. That's a HUGE amount of money, and that's not including the local and state economies that could be bolstered by this new industry. We have seen it rake in cash in Colorado and California, so the benefits of this can be seen very clearly. One of the biggest point's I've heard towards the legalization of marijuana is that there's neighboring states who have already legalized it anyways, and that means revenue could be escaping into those neighboring states from New York. While there are still risks and considerations when it comes to marijuana, including cognitive effects and the impacts it may have on people with mental health issues, Cuomo has decided that the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. It's something that the state is considering, so if you're all for it or all in against it voice you opinion now!