SENATOR RIVERA ON COMMISSIONER ZUCKER’S REMARKS ABOUT LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN NEW YORK STATE

(Albany, NY) – State Senator Gustavo Rivera, ranking member of the New York State Health Committee, released the following statement after Commissioner Howard Zucker announced that the Department of Health plans to make a report public that recommends the implementation of a recreational marijuana program in New York State.

“I am extremely encouraged that New York State is finally taking concrete steps to implement a recreational marijuana program for adults. The Department of Health’s recommendation, which is supported by vast medical evidence, would also help put an end to the racial disparities that have plagued marijuana arrest and help increase our State’s revenue. It also promising that the Department of Health is expanding its list of qualifying conditions for its medical marijuana program to include as a substitute for opioid use. This shift in policy will provide patients with a safer alternative to manage their pain and help us combat the opioid crisis that continues to ravage our cities. I look forward to reviewing the Department of Health’s full report on the benefits of legalizing marijuana in New York State and the impact it will have on our public health, criminal justice system, and economy.”