Legalized cannabis could help N.Y. in more ways than one

The coronavirus pandemic took a significant toll on New York, affecting the state and its residents physically, emotionally and financially. Through adher

David Soares is the Albany County district attorney. ence to public health protocols, we have gone from being the epicenter of the outbreak to having some of the nation’s lowest infection and fatality rates.

Hopefully, we will continue this trajectory. On the financial side, however, we have not even begun to assess the full extent of the damage. The state faces a staggering $14.5 billion budget shortfall this year alone and a projected $62 billion decline through FY 2024 due to COVID -19. Even if Congress and the White House pass a new stimulus package, whatever New York receives will not come close to filling its need.

The New York State Association of Counties outlined more than 80 recommendations for preserving local services – including providing counties a share of the tax revenue generated by legalizing cannabis for adult recreational use. It is well past time for the state to act.

The Cuomo administration is holding back millions of dollars from schools, local governments and social service organizations that support some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers. To stave off deep cuts, the state needs new revenue – fast.

Albany County alone faces a potential $40 million budget hole

as a result of the pandemic’s economic toll. If funding is cut, my office would likely be forced to roll back important programs. That includes possibly letting go staffers hired to help us meet the requirements of the state’s new discovery reform law.

For the state to ignore legalized cannabis as a potential revenue-generating opportunity in favor of significant cuts in school aid, health care, mental health services and more is simply unconscionable.

I have long spoken out about how the nation’s misguided war on drugs has disproportionately impacted communities of color. My office no longer prosecutes low-level cannabis offenses, recognizing that the state faces more serious threats from the abuse of heroin and fentanyl.

As with any war, the end of a drug war presents opportunities to treat the addicted, to rebuild our communities and to restore confidence in our system of justice.

It is critical that any adult cannabis use program takes seriously the importance of keeping our roadways safe and providing kids with real-world information about the dangers of drug use. Market regulation and decriminalization would significantly contribute to funding for the redirection of law enforcement resources to roadway safety. Additionally, we could invest greater resources in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

Ending the war on cannabis will generate new resources. We have a moral obligation to reinvest those resources in the communities most devastated by the war on drugs. We owe it to these communities. We must replace the illicit economies founded on the drug trade with jobs for those affected, along with comprehensive sealing and expungement opportunities for people who qualify. This will take investment, and revenue will be available through creation of a careful adult-use program.

New York need not look far to see how much it’s missing. Just six months after launching its program, Illinois has earned $52 million in revenue from the sale of adult-use cannabis, including $34.7 million from excise taxes.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has predicted New York could raise about $300 million in annual revenue from adult-use cannabis. Some experts say that figure is much higher. Whatever the final amount, this new revenue stream is needed now more than ever.

Local governments are on the front lines of battling the coronavirus. We will continue to do our part to keep residents safe and preserve services to the best of our ability, but we can’t do it alone.

Passing a comprehensive adult-use cannabis program that addresses longstanding equity issues and also provides New Yorkers with safe, regulated and affordable products is not a silver bullet that will end all the state’s economic woes, but it’s a strong place to start.