The history of cannabis in New York dates back to 1857 when the New York Daily News printed a letter on Hesheesh. The contents of which described it as an East Indian hemp, which is a sure rabies antidotal.
The following passages will elaborate on the marijuana and CBD laws of New York.
Marijuana in New York
Even in 2019, you cannot smoke pot publicly in one of the most celebrated cities of the world. Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I hallucinogenic substance in the Empire State, and carrying an ounce of it will incarcerate you for 3-months with a $500 fine. Moreover, if an intent to distribution is proven, an ounce is sufficient to make you a jailbird for 4 years.
However, Gov. Andrew Cuomo softened his anti-marijuana stance in 2018 by commissioning research on the impact of cannabis legalization. The study recommended implementing a regulated system in the state. Accordingly, Cuomo formed a workgroup to draft legislation for a regulated recreational marijuana program to be considered in the 2019 legislative session.
As per an NBC 4 New York poll, the majority of New Yorkers support legitimizing marijuana – 57% to be exact.
Medical Marijuana
The Empire State has a restrictive medical dispensary system, limited doctor participation, and controlled product availability. The program is governed by the NY State Department of Health. However, the state is taking progressive steps to improve and expand the system. Still, public consumption – medical patient or otherwise – is prohibited and penalized.
As of April 2019, a Senate bill has been filed to permit qualifying students to have medicinal marijuana administered at school. There are about 60,000 registered patients in New York, who contributed $219 million in 2018 medical sales. The revenue projection for the year 2022 is $504 million.
CBD Oil Laws in New York
The Senate Bill 7047 of 2014 ordered the cultivation of industrial hemp to extend the research to the local farmers and businesses. Two years later, Assembly Bill 9310 authorized the trade of industrial hemp by modifying existing legislation. Today, New York has a functioning Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program which cultivated 2,240 acreages of hemp in New York in 2018.
As of April 2019, Department of Agriculture and Markets is reviewing fresh applications from growers and processors that were posted before the December 28 deadline.
Conclusion
Cannabis is a Schedule I hallucinogenic substance in New York, and possessing an ounce of it will imprison you for 3-months. However, Gov. Andrew Cuomo softened his anti-marijuana stance by commissioning a study and subsequently formed a workgroup to draft legislation for a regulated program to be considered in the 2019 legislative session.
The Empire State has a restrictive medical dispensary system, limited doctor participation, and controlled product availability. There are about 60,000 registered patients in New York, and the state is expected to earn $504 million in medical sales by the year 2022. Lastly, the state has a functioning Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program which cultivated 2,240 acres of hemp in 2018.
