Legislators reached a deal with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office Wednesday March 24, on a plan to license marijuana dispensaries, opening the door for home delivery options and even allowing enthusiasts to grow their own limited number of pot plants.
Under the agreement reached by lawmakers, cannabis use will be legal for adults over 21, who could possess up to three ounces of marijuana for personal use.
Budget officials believe the initiative could bring in about $350 million a year in revenue for the state.
The legislation, which could pass both chambers by as early as next week, imposes a 9% state tax on retail sales and counties would be able to add an additional 4% levy.
New Yorkers with a green thumb would be allowed to grow up to six pot plants each, either indoors or outdoors, and households would be limited to 12 plants total.
The measure is largely based on the Legislature’s long-stalled Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act and would create a new state Office of Cannabis Management overseeing licensing for growers, wholesale distributors, dispensaries and even adult-use “consumption sites.”
More than a dozen other states have already legalized pot, including neighboring New Jersey and Massachusetts.
On Wednesday, Cuomo indicated again that legalizing weed was one of his top budget priorities.
“This year we have to get it done, and getting it done by the time the budget is passed is essential,” he said.
