New York Has Legalized Marijuana

The criminalization of drugs is bad public policy and burdens constitutional rights and interests in a variety of ways. The criminalization of marijuana is absurd. In Joe's Constitution, years ago, I called it insane. Still a reasonable take. This is not about consuming the stuff (I don't.) It is about making it criminal and the resulting problems. It is taking away the right to use. And, in a wider sense, it is about inhibiting hemp use because of fears of cannabis. See also, limits on medicinal marijuana.

This law is a big step in the right direction. The details are important and here is one summary. I think 21 is too high of a cut-off, but realize how thing go there. Things like expunging convictions is important and attempts to promote minority business sounds good. Use and possession (small amounts) immediately is legal but it will take a while to set up the rules for businesses. That is likely to have some issues.

A basic concern here -- and there is a push to end this -- is federal prohibitions still are in place. It might not be policy to target simple use or medicinal use. Keeping track of that is complicated with changing rules. Biden has had issues. But, unless it is legal and marijuana businesses can use federal regulated money streams etc., problems will arise. That is a basic value of full legalization -- the benefits of aboveboard regulation.