Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday morning signed legislation passed by state lawmakers the night before to legalize recreational marijuana in New York state.
The state Senate voted Tuesday evening 40-23 to pass the legislation. Later that night, the state Assembly voted 100-49 in favor of the bill.
That makes the Empire State the 15th state, along with the District of Columbia, to have legalized cannabis for recreational use.
"This is a historic day. I thank the Leader and Speaker and the tireless advocacy of so many", Cuomo wrote on Twitter after signing the legislation.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he supports the legislation on the basis of racial equity. "I think this bill goes a long way. I think there's more to do after, but it goes a long way", de Blasio said, according to WDTV ABC 11.
Black and Latino New Yorkers combined made up 94% of marijuana-related arrests by the New York Police Department in 2020, even though the city's statistics show that the proportion of white New Yorkers using marijuana is considerably higher than that of either Latino or Black residents. According to a New York City health department survey, 24% of white residents reported using marijuana, compared with 14% of Black residents and 12% of Latino residents, over the two-year period of 2015-2016, the most recent available data.
