Last year, New York became the 23rd State in the country to legalize medical marijuana. The new recreational marijuana use law in New York State has decriminalized the possession of up to 25 grams of marijuana since 1977. However, many arrests are made yearly for the public use of marijuana in New York City. The Marijuana Regulations and Taxation Act was introduced in 2014 to end these arrests.

The New Recreational Marijuana Use Law has since been rejected and amended, and now Democratic Senator Liz Krueger is committed to pushing it through in early 2015. If this bill passes, retail marijuana dispensaries would be allowed to operate, and the State Liquor Authority would regulate them. The bill would establish an excise tax on marijuana sales. Individuals would be allowed to possess two ounces of marijuana and grow up to six marijuana plants for personal use.

Krueger introduced a similar bill in 2013 but never made it out of committee. The reintroduction of this bill in 2015 contains many changes related to the tax structure and who can work in the State’s marijuana industry.

When Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, they had to go through voter-approved ballot measures. New York is not a referendum state and will not require voter approval. If this bill is signed, it will become effective immediately in New York State.

The Wright Law Firm P.C. handles all New York State Liquor Authority matters. We have assisted clients in obtaining liquor licenses for many years. If the New Recreational Marijuana Use Law should pass, the firm plans to include this new and exciting area into our practice.

Call the experienced New York commercial lease and real estate attorneys at Wright Law Firm NYC for more information. We provide top-tier legal services for the NYC business community. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by e-mail or call us at (212) 619-1500.