The recent us policies in different regions are increasingly turning to projects for the legalization of trade of cannabis. Due to the fact that the percentage of the population supporting the idea of legalizing marijuanahas steadily increased, state governments realize that ignoring the situation will fail.
According to a member of the Senate of new York Liz Krueger, soon the policy of this state will be forced to adopt a law on the regulation and taxation of cannabis. Senator for many years attempts to introduce state control over the trafficking of marijuana and, since 2013, has filed several bills of this kind.
Kruger notes that the new York is on the verge of legalization, which could happen in 2019. According to politician, the authorities in this region need to follow the example of Massachusetts, where, as of autumn 2018, the marijuana will start selling officially. She believes that legal trade can bring benefits to the state and to improve its economic performance.
«Over the last five years we have promoted this idea and now closely approached its implementation», — said the Senator.
However, despite its optimistic predictions, a number of criminal law experts and civil society activists urge the authorities of new York not to hurry with adoption of the law on the regulation and taxation of cannabis. They argue that first we need to conduct a thorough analysis of the impact of the adoption of this bill and to develop mechanisms to limit the sale of marijuana in certain cases.
Activists believe that free trade in the drug will contribute to a worsening of the crime situation among the poor. At the same time, they recognize that the market for marijuana must be removed from the shade, as this is consistent with the realities of modern life.
Liz Krueger did not agree with the arguments of activists, and considers that the law on the sale of cannabis, by contrast, would allow the people of the state to avoid criminal liability for its use, which ultimately will reduce the number of criminal cases. According to the Senator, too many people get the brand of «offender» for being forced to buy illegal marijuana. If this case is legitimate, then the crime situation will improve.
The politician sees no reason to keep this market in the shade, since, according to the estimates of economists, legal sale of cannabis will annually replenish the state budget at $1.3 billion. Kruger stressed that the state government has a choice: to ensure that the money went into the hands of drug dealers, or to deprive them of a huge market, sending finances to fight drug trafficking.
