Local Officials Propose Law To Opt Out Of Selling Pot In Suffolk

SMITHTOWN, NY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo may be pushing to legalize recreational marijuana in New York soon, but several local officials are fighting for a legislation to be able to opt of selling the drug.

Last week Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta held a press conference to propose that Suffolk County take the initial steps to opt out of Cuomo’s statewide proposal to make it legal to sell and use commercial/recreational marijuana.

"It used to be that organized crime controlled gambling and drugs and now it’s the government who wants to use it as a revenue source and that is just wrong," he said. "The government should control spending and stay out of the drug business."

In addition to Trotta, Legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Smithtown, NY) and Kevin McCaffrey (R- Lindenhurst) have joined him as cosponsors of this resolution.

"Having been a police officer for 25 years, I know firsthand that making marijuana available for sale is a step in the wrong direction," Trotta said. "I don’t view the sale of marijuana as a viable source of revenue because the health and well-being of our residents are far more important than plugging the holes in our bloated budget."

Steve Chassman, executive director for The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD) believes that distributing potent strains of marijuana and THC products in Suffolk County will "undoubtedly have an adverse impact on communities and public health."

"We are hopeful that the New York State movement towards legalization of marijuana will include adequate allotments of funding to insure evidence based education and prevention models addressing the potential dangers of marijuana products and that accurate information is disseminated to Long Island residents, with a specific educational focus on adolescents and young adults,” he said.

Later this month, Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Legislator William Spencer, chair of the Legislature's Health Committee, and Legislator Tom Donnelly, chair of the Legislature's Public Safety Committee will be hosting a public hearing to get input from local residents on the possibility of legalizing the use of recreational marijuana.

What do you think? Should recreational marijuana be legal in New York? If so should local towns have the option to opt out of selling it? Let us know in the comments below.

Pictured at the press conference are from left Kim Revere, Executive Director of Kings Park in the kNOw, Debbie Virga, president of the Commack Coalition of Caring, Kym Laube, Executive Director of HUGS, Steven Chassman, Executive Director of LICADD, and Suffolk Legislator Rob Trotta.

Image courtesy of the office of Rob Trotta