Governor Cuomo has introduced a series of amendments to his proposal to legalize marijuana for adult use in New York State. They set up a $100 million social equity fund to be paid for from taxes on marijuana sales, and to be used to address institutional wrongs in New York Communities.
Other proposals would detail how that money is to be used, legalizes marijuana delivery services and refines what amounts to illegal sale of the drug once legalization takes place.
The Social Equity fund will pay for:
- Job placement and skills services,
- Adult education,
- Mental health treatment,
- Substance use disorder treatment,
- Housing,
- Financial literacy,
- Community banking,
- Nutrition services,
- Services to address adverse childhood experiences,
- Afterschool and child care services, system navigation services,
- Legal services to address barriers to reentry, and
- Linkages to medical care, women’s health services and other community-based supportive services
Cuomo says this will address inequities caused by the war on drugs.