The governor of New York is again slamming the rollout of marijuana legalization in her state, calling the protracted process a “disaster” and “insane,” while acknowledging that it’s unlikely the legislature would be willing to “start over” with crafting a framework for the legal cannabis market as she’d prefer.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has recently become vocal about her frustrations with the implementation of the cannabis law she inherited. While she supports legalization, she told The Buffalo News editorial board the law was drafted “in a way that was not poised for success.”
“It’s a disaster. I will not defend that for one second,” Hochul said. However, she added that she’s “glad we stopped the mass incarceration of young people for consumption,” calling it “the right policy.”
Much of the governor’s frustration concerns the limited number of licensed retailers that have been approved since the state enacted legalization—an issue that’s significantly compounded by the proliferation of unlicensed storefronts.
Hochul said that one key problem is that the law lacks “teeth,” meaning provisions allowing for effective enforcement to eradicate the illicit market.
“It’s not [on] every street corner,” she said, referring to the unregulated shops. “It is every other storefront. It
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