The Growth Op have the lowdown on NY Mayor de Blasio
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says he’s in favour of legalizing marijuana, but only if it’s done right.
The mayor spoke Thursday at a Dominican cultural centre in upper Manhattan.
De Blasio follows New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in jumping aboard a marijuana legalization train that is gaining momentum.
The Democratic mayor says legalization should include the expunging of petty crimes for pot. And he’d like marijuana sales to be closed to corporate interests and open to New Yorkers — especially African-Americans and Hispanics, who he says have been unfairly prosecuted for its use.
Meanwhile The Rev Al Sharpton comments….
There is only one way to characterize Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to make legalizing recreational marijuana a priority in the 2019 legislative session: As part of the march towards justice, tearing down the systemic inequalities in our country’s policies and creating a United States that reflects the diversity and beliefs of its people.
Legalizing marijuana is a civil rights cause that the National Action Network has championed for years because of the potential economic benefit for low-income communities across the country, and thus we commend the governor for taking the lead on this issue. With Democratic majorities in both the Senate and Assembly and policy momentum on our side, there is no better time to act.
Yet as we prepare to join states like California, Washington and Oregon in embracing legal use and the economic future that will follow, we cannot forget those haunted by the ghosts of marijuana laws (hopefully soon) past: People of color and the formerly incarcerated.
