The Forbidden Plant is Now Unforbidden

New York has become the 15th state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the legislation into law on April 30, 2021, immediately legalizing the recreational use of cannabis products for adults 21 and older. This has been long-awaited since the decriminalization of the possession of the drug in 2019 and a years-long effort to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Harlem natives Terrell Scott and Karim Hendrick are avid weed smokers and happy about the legal use of recreational marijuana in New York. These two friends bond over and share their excitement of the news.

“I have been waiting for years to be able to casually smoke weed legally,” Scott said.

“It is about time New York made weed legal for casual use, and I am excited to see how this affects our party culture,” Hendrick said.

New Yorkers can possess up to three ounces of cannabis for recreational use or 24 grams of concentrated cannabis. At home, people can have up to five pounds of cannabis if stored in a secure place. There are penalties, ranging from a simple violation to a felony, for possessing more than the permitted amount and selling or buying it without a license. People can also grow up to six plants at home—indoors and outdoors. They can grow a maximum of twelve plants per household for recreational purposes. This will be in effect 18 months after the first adult-use dispensary opens and begins sales in 2022 at the earliest.

Brooklynites Chance Weston and Elijah Harris think this is a great chance to start a new hobby and have another stream of income. These cousins have plans to enter the marijuana business.

“I am interested in getting a license and growing weed plants so I can sell weed,” Weston said.

“This has potential to be very profitable for avid weed smokers and the black market weed business,” Harris said.

Marijuana legalization for recreational use isn’t just about using the substance but also about the war on drugs.

Laws against marijuana have negatively affected Blacks and Hispanics the most. According to data from the New York Police Department, New Yorkers of color made up over 94 percent of arrests and summonses issued for marijuana violations and offenses in 2020.

F.B.I data from 2019 show police arrested 545,602 people for cannabis-related crimes. Most of those arrests—92 percent—were for simple possession of the drug. With this new law, people convicted of marijuana-related offenses that are no longer criminalized will have their records expunged.

Bronxites Jeremy Reeves and Jonathan Cole have experienced being hassled by the New York Police for cannabis-related crimes.

“I have been stopped twice and even detained once by police just for smelling like weed,” Reeves said.

“I was once detained and given a summons for having weed on me,” Cole said.

Over the next few months, state officials will be writing regulations to sort out the many details that have yet to be clarified.