Legal Aid Society

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LAS Applauds Legalization of Marijuana in New York State

The Legal Aid Society celebrated the repeal of marijuana prohibition Wednesday as Gov. Cuomo signed legislation that will regulate the sale of recreational marijuana for adults and expunge the records of people previously convicted of possession, as reported by the New York Daily News.

Supporters of the move cheered the positive ramifications the change will have on communities of color most impacted by the failed War on Drugs, with officials expecting the marijuana market to generate as many as 60,000 new jobs and generate $350 million in revenue annually.

“For decades, New York State’s racist war on marijuana ensnared thousands of our clients – nearly all of whom are from Black and Latinx communities – resulting in needless incarceration and a host of other devastating consequences that inevitably arise from contacts with the criminal legal system,” said Tina Luongo, Attorney-in-Charge of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society.