City Comptroller John Liu last week became the third mayoral candidate to throw his weight behind legalizing marijuana, and the former Democratic councilman from Flushing said the taxation of pot could generate more than $400 million annually for New York’s coffers.
“New York City’s misguided war on marijuana has failed, and its enforcement has damaged far too many lives, especially in minority communities,” said Liu. “It’s time for us to implement a responsible alternative. Regulation marijuana would keep thousands of New Yorkers out of the criminal justice system, offer relief to those suffering from a wide range of painful medical conditions, and make our streets safer by sapping the dangerous underground market that targets our children. As if that weren’t enough, it would also boost our bottom line.”
Mayoral candidates Sal Albanese, a Democrat, and Joe Lhota, a Republican, have also called for legalizing marijuana.
Liu released a report on regulating and taxing the now illicit drug last week, proposing that the state legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for individuals over the age of 21. He also called for allowing the medicinal use of pot.
Such a move, the comptroller argued, would secure hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, which Liu said could be used to reduce CUNY tuition by as much as 50 percent.
“By regulating marijuana like alcohol, New York City can minimize teens’ access to marijuana, while at the same time reducing their exposure to more dangerous drugs and taking sales out of the hands of criminals,” added Liu, who has said he has never smoked pot.
The candidate slammed Mayor Bloomberg, saying low-level marijuana arrests have skyrocketed during the current city leader’s tenure. After Bloomberg took office in 2002, there have been nearly 460,000 misdemeanor marijuana arrests. Last year, there were 250 low-level marijuana arrests in Queens – the fewest of all the five boroughs.
By Anna Gustafson
