MORE THAN A SPIKE LEE JOINT –
March 31, 2021 – Anyone with a previous marijuana conviction that would now be legal under the law will have the rap expunged or be re-sentenced. And New Yorkers will now be legally allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis outside the home and up to 5 pounds at home — and can smoke pot in public where smoking tobacco is permitted. However, smoking weed is not permitted inside schools, workplaces or cars. The law takes cannabis off the list of controlled substances and allows those who are 21 and older to use the drug freely. Legal marijuana could be sold in licensed dispensaries as soon as next year.
The bill also establishes the Office of Cannabis Management to implement a regulatory framework that covers medical, adult-use and cannabinoid hemp. It also expands the state’s existing medical marijuana and cannabinoid hemp programs. But it will be some time before stores hawking legal weed appear in the state.
