The New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo have reached agreement on a bill to legalize recreational use of marijuana in New York.
The final text is still being worked out, but the agreement provides for a tax on marijuana sales to be split between the state and local governments. It also addresses concerns over marijuana-impaired driving, and includes business incentives for people to set up marijuana dispensaries.
During a press briefing hours before the agreement was reached on Wednesday, Governor Cuomo said such a deal was a top priority. He said now that New Jersey and Massachusetts have both legalized the drug, people could easily drive from New York to get it legally. He said the question was whether New York would benefit from legalization or not.