SENATOR BIAGGI APPLAUDS DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA, CALLS FOR FULL LEGALIZATION

ALBANY, NY – This evening, the New York State Senate passed legislation to decriminalize marijuana, reducing the penalty for possession of small quantities and expunging criminal records for certain previous marijuana convictions.

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx/Westchester) issued the following statement:

“For decades the war on drugs has manifested into a war on communities of color, enabling the disproportionate policing of black and brown bodies across the state. Today we take one step forward on the path towards correcting our criminal justice system and repairing the years of harm inflicted upon Black and Latinx New Yorkers, by decriminalizing small quantities of marijuana and clearing the records of those previously convicted of possession. I thank my colleague and fellow Bronx Senator Jamaal Bailey for his tireless commitment to this issue, and look forward to continuing the fight for full legalization of adult-use marijuana.”