New York cannabis legalization is a priority for the state in 2019. This message was only reinforced last week during Andrew Cuomo’s state budget address. During his address, Cuomo reminded attendees that legalization was not only a priority for 2019, but that legalization was a priority for the first 100 days of his third stint as NY governor. The urgency and imperativeness with which Cuomo has addressed cannabis legalization begs an awkward question for the state’s neighbor to the west: Could New York legalize before New Jersey?
New Jersey’s Cannabis Head Start Has Evaporated
Approximately one year ago, New Jersey’s recently elected Governor Phil Murphy had begun moving towards recreational legalization in the Garden State following on the steps of his campaign promises to do so. Throughout the entirety of 2018 when cannabis legalization on the East Coast was brought up on MMLG we framed it as a matter of New York not having to fall behind states such as Massachusetts or New Jersey. How the tide has turned.
Murphy, for his part, has remained steadfast in bringing legal pot to NJ. However, infighting amongst state Dems and Murphy on other, non-cannabis, issues led to prolonged foot-dragging in Trenton. While a committee vote back in late November of 2018 pushed legalization to the fore, thus far in 2019 further efforts in the statehouse have been stalled. The issue has escalated enough that NJ senator, Nicholas Scutari, a major backer of legalization, explained to NJ.com that he is considering making adult-use legalization a ballot measure in November rather than waiting for Murphy and others to get their ducks in a row.
What The New York Cannabis Legalization Push Means Is …
While there remain a lack of specifics from Albany lawmakers one thing remains crystal clear, Cuomo, a formidable politician who has a knack for getting what he wants, is pushing for New York cannabis legalization to be moving and wireframed and wheeled-up within 100 days, that’s approximately the start of May, a full six months ahead of a possible ballot measure for voters across the Hudson in New Jersey.
New York’s aggressive push, above all else, signals Cuomo’s understanding that legalized cannabis can be a driver of economic opportunity for all within New York. While he and other lawmakers are guarded about their being too much revenue initially –projections from last week’s state of the state show modest revenue growth over the next few year– but also determine that by 2023 there would be a cannabis-derived tax revenue of $300 million per year. This number, to us at least, seems cautiously low. For New Jersey? Phil Murphy and state lawmakers now have to face the prospect of falling behind its neighbors such as New York and Massachusetts.