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Despite support of marijuana bill in Canton, MRTA withers on the vine in Albany

Posted 6/19/19

CANTON – Despite support from a local municipal board, the state’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) will apparently wither on the vine, as the state legislature breaks for recess …

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Despite support of marijuana bill in Canton, MRTA withers on the vine in Albany

Posted

CANTON – Despite support from a local municipal board, the state’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) will apparently wither on the vine, as the state legislature breaks for recess until January.

According to numerous national and state news reports, the bill will not be considered in this legislative session.

Recently, the Canton village board passed a resolution in support of the county opting into the MRTA, which would legalize and regulate the production, distribution, and use of marijuana, much like alcohol and tobacco products are regulated.

"I said from the beginning of this session that I believed marijuana legalization had the best chance of being passed in this year's budget. Today, the Senate confirmed that it does not have the votes to move forward with legalization,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wednesday afternoon. Cuomo strongly supported the law.

"I was asked earlier this week on a radio show if I would settle for decriminalization as a backup, and I said I keep fighting and only tend to give up on hour twenty when there's four hours left in the session. We have now reached ‘hour twenty.’”

Supporters of the bill believed it would fuel a multimillion dollar agriculture industry and support small and local marijuana businesses. Each county within the state can opt in to the law which would allow production and sale of marijuana within its borders.

"We appreciate the Governor's persistence and dedication with MRTA, and his point on communities of color being severely and disproportionately impacted is well taken," said Canton Village Trustee Klaus Proemm. "Students at our local colleges are members of these communities. Let's encourage a more diverse college community and remove this unnecessary burden. Folks' concerns about health and highway safety are understandable, but the risks here pale when compared to alcohol's effects on individuals, families, fellow drivers and pedestrians. We can do better, and do it sooner rather than later."

"Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by laws governing marijuana for far too long and it has to end,” Cuomo said. "I understand the desire to end session today as planned, and will give the legislature a message of necessity to expedite passage if required. This legislative proposal is not new. I first proposed this decriminalization measure in 2013, and again in this year's budget. The time to act is now."

State lawmakers will now not be able to consider the MRTA bill until the reconvene in January 2020.