New York farmers: Legalize marijuana so we can grow it

CLOSE ALBANY - New York farmers are hoping marijuana could be their next cash crop. The New York Farm Bureau issued a memo Monday backing a bill that would legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in New York, which lawmakers are considering before they end their annual session June 19.

GROUP AGAINST LEGAL MARIJUANA POSTS BILLBOARDS IN HUDSON VALLEY

GROUP AGAINST LEGAL MARIJUANA POSTS BILLBOARDS IN HUDSON VALLEY

New York Farm Bureau backs marijuana legalization

ALBANY - New York's largest farm advocacy organization is backing legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana use. "Given the current status of the farm economy in New York state, farmers recognize the potential opportunity the cultivation of cannabis could be for New York state's agriculture industry," the New York Farm Bureau said in a statement.

Billboard campaign targets 'real consequences" of commercial marijuana - Mid Hudson News

NEW WINDSOR - The group Smart Approaches to Marijuana New York (SMART) has launched a billboard campaign calling on residents to contact their state lawmakers urging them to reject the proposal to legalize recreational marijuana. Billboards have been installed in New Windsor, Brewster and Yonkers.

Push to legalize pot comes down to wire as Albany winds down legislative session

The push to legalize recreational marijuana in New York state is coming down to the wire as Albany is winding down the legislative session in just two weeks. If New York legalizes recreational marijuana, it would follow Illinois as the 12th state in the nation to do so.

Pot legalization bill sponsor questions Cuomo's commitment to effort

ALBANY - Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has not called for any direct marijuana legalization talks with the two houses of the Legislature since March, the State Senate sponsor of the measure said Wednesday. "We have not had any three-way discussions since they fell apart during the budget.

Competing marijuana press conferences at Capitol

ALBANY - Advocates on both sides of the pot legalization debate rallied at the Capitol on Wednesday. A coalition of parent groups, school administrators and law enforcement officials said they would support decriminalization, but warned of the impact of marijuana on teenage brain and road safety.

Heated debate over recreational marijuana legalization remains active at state Capitol

As time runs out in this legislative session, arguments over legalizing recreational pot use are heating up at the state Capitol. It comes after Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week he doesn't think there's enough support to pass the measure this session. However, advocates aren't giving up hope.

Three County Legislators Stand Opposed to Legal Pot | Yonkers Times

By Dan Murphy SAM-NY, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, held a press conference outside the county office building in White Plains, joined by Westchester leaders, concerned parents, addiction treatment specialist and medical professionals to call on the county to opt out of commercial marijuana. Also in attendance were local police chiefs and two county legislators - ...

Slow down on legalizing marijuana

Dr. Hector R. Biaggi St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment and Recovery Centers The New York state substance abuse treatment community has been involved in a high-stakes effort to oppose the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana, and proponents were constantly saying that "it's a done deal" or that "the train has left the station" so we had better sit at the table or be left out of it once it becomes a reality.

Marijuana Legalization Wins Labor Backing

A push to legalize marijuana in New York was endorsed on Tuesday by the labor unions as the bill remains in limbo. The legalization push was endorsed by 1199SEIU at a rally at the Capitol, while lawmakers have retooled the bill in an effort to win more votes and entice Gov.

Recreational marijuana debate - Westchester County

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Anti-marijuana advocates protest outside county office building in White Plains

Posted: Monday, May 20, 2019 5:39 PM EDT Updated: Monday, May 20, 2019 6:24 PM EDT WHITE PLAINS - Anti-marijuana advocates protested outside Westchester's county office building Monday to voice their opposition to legal marijuana. Protester Jeffrey Veatch says he lost his son to a drug overdose and believes the problem with marijuana is that it exposes young people to unnecessary risks.

Lawmakers revisit cannabis legalization

ALBANY - After cannabis legalization fell out of April budget talks, lawmakers are looking to greatly expand the state's medical marijuana program and legalize recreational use of the drug before the end of session. New legislation more closely mirroring Gov. Andrew M.

Columbia County Moves To Opt Out Of Marijuana Business

Columbia County this week became the latest county to announce plans to not allow the retail marijuana industry in New York if a legalization bill is approved by state lawmakers. The county joins larger counties to its south - including Suffolk, Nassau, Rockland and Putnam - in opting out.

New Marijuana Bill "Mirrors" Cuomo's Proposal

The latest version of a bill that would legalize marijuana in New York largely "mirrors" the details of a proposal by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the state budget earlier this year, said Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes. "What it essentially does is mirrors the governor's proposed cannabis legislation that was in his budget," she said.

NY marijuana: What to know about cannabis jobs, pot college and immigrant weed workers

CLOSE A government study estimated legalizing recreational pot could generate a total economic output of $4.1 billion in New York. In New York, consider that legalizing recreational pot could create about 30,700 jobs, a study says. Marijuana opponents contend the study downplayed the economic harm of legalizing recreational pot.

Group Works To Dissuade NY From Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

New York state legislators are considering legalizing recreational marijuana, but there is opposition to the idea. Smart Approaches to Marijuana officials have visited a number of county legislatures in the state, highlighting what they view as dangers of legalization. SAM 's Chief of Staff Luke Niforatos is based in Colorado, where recreational marijuana has been legal for five years.

Marijuana use climbs higher after becoming legal in Canada, survey finds

For hundreds of thousands of Canadians, apparently all it took to try marijuana for the first time was the nation's permission. Almost double the number of people reported using cannabis products for the first time in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year, from 327,000 to 646,000, according to a survey by the Canadian government.

Non-profit against New York's attempt to legalize marijuana

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A national non-profit that is against New York's attempt to legalize marijuana is traveling the state to argue why marijuana should not be legalized. Leaders with the Washington, D.C.-based Smart Approaches to Marijuana met with elected officials across the state and the Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Wednesday.

Speaker at Auburn event: Decriminalizing marijuana better than legalization

AUBURN - When Will Jones walks out of his Washington, D.C, home, the first business he sees is a liquor store. The storefronts are covered in advertisements for alcoholic beverages. Jones, a communications and outreach associate for Smart Approaches to Marijuana, worries that there will be similar promotional efforts if there is widespread legalization of marijuana.

Experts advise Ulster to opt out of legalizing pot

KINGSTON - Legalizing recreational marijuana is a bad idea for New York state, and Ulster County needs to say so, two think-tank staffers told a county Legislature committee Monday."Let's slow down the process," Luke Niforatos told the county's Public Health and Social Services Committee. "Opt out.

Former WH Advisor Speaks Out Against Marijuana Legalization

A former senior drug policy advisor to President Barrack Obama came to the Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel on April 5 to express his strong opposition to the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana. Dr. Kevin Sabet, former senior drug policy advisor to Obama, addressed The Prevention Council of Putnam and the Putnam Communities That Care Coalition's fifth annual conference.

MAHONEY: State's pot push could go up in smoke

ALBANY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo ushered in 2019 by decrying marijuana prohibition, saying it has led to numerous "needless and unjust convictions," and vowing he would be the one to drive through legalization, making that a goal he'd fulfill in the first 100 days of this year. It hasn't happened.

Recreational marijuana: What to know about anti-pot lobbying, pharma, alcohol and tobacco

CLOSE Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a nonprofit based just outside Washington, D.C., contributed more than $1 million on an anti-pot campaign in California and is now entering NY political spending. Smart Approaches spent $24,000 lobbying against pot laws in New Jersey so far.

Alternative to marijuana decriminalization 'need not be big tobacco style legalization'

Dr. Kevin A. Sabet, President and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, says the alternative to decriminalizing marijuana "need not be big tobacco style legalization." Yahoo Finance's Alexis Christoforous speaks to him.

State budget React-O-Mat™

The state Legislature put to bed the state budget early on Monday morning, and there are a lot of opinions about the $175 billion spending plan. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo: "This was not an easy one. It was a hard one. But the hard ones are the good ones, by definition.

Supporters of legalized marijuana rally at the Capitol

Supporters who want legalized recreational marijuana for adults included in the state budget rallied at the State Capitol to try to convince lawmakers to move faster on the issue. About 200 advocates from the Drug Policy Alliance, VOCAL-NY and other groups held a boisterous rally, at one point blocking off entrances to the Assembly and Senate chambers.

State budget React-O-Mat™

The state Legislature put to bed the state budget early on Monday morning, and there are a lot of opinions about the $175 billion spending plan. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo: "This was not an easy one. It was a hard one. But the hard ones are the good ones, by definition.

Supporters of legalized marijuana rally at the Capitol

Supporters who want legalized recreational marijuana for adults included in the state budget rallied at the State Capitol to try to convince lawmakers to move faster on the issue. About 200 advocates from the Drug Policy Alliance, VOCAL-NY and other groups held a boisterous rally, at one point blocking off entrances to the Assembly and Senate chambers.

Activists in Rockville Centre urge lawmakers to keep marijuana legalization out of the state budget

A week before the April 1 deadline to finalize the state budget, elected officials joined concerned citizens in an effort to slow down the potential legalization of recreational marijuana in New York. Smart Approaches to Marijuana, or SAM, hosted the March 22 news conference on Front Street in Rockville Centre.

Illinois chapter of NAACP tells New York to just say 'no'

The Illinois chapter of the NAACP is urging Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to oppose marijuana legalization in New York. A letter from earlier this month, signed by Illinois NAACP President Teresa Haley, argues that the marijuana industry, like tobacco and alcohol companies, will "target, exploit and victimize communities of color."

Opponents Try to Extinguish Marijuana Debate | WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News

Governor Cuomo and legislators are sending out mixed signals on whether there'll be a deal on legalizing marijuana in the state budget due April 1. Opponents are rooting for a delay.

Rockville Centre rally rejects legal marijuana in NY

A rally held Friday in Rockville Centre rejected the idea of legalized marijuana sales in New York state. A coalition of Long Island educators, religious leaders and anti-drug advocates are asking state lawmakers to just say no to legalizing recreational marijuana.