New York legalized marijuana officially in the spring of 2021, but bureaucracy is still preventing people living across the state from benefiting from the new law. Partially, the former Governor Cuomo is to blame for this situation as his resignation in August 2021 caused administrative chaos, and many procedures were temporarily stopped. At the same time, the topic is sensitive, and the state government couldn’t make a decision on behalf of all municipalities.
Each one had a few months to decide whether to allow marijuana retail and using establishments within their borders or not. From one side, the community might feel safer, but on the other, they will stay aside from the expected tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales. According to the new law, 40% of all potential tax dollars should go to the most damaged communities. As for the people from the five boroughs, the decision...