The Bronx Defenders Praise Introduction of Marijuana Legalization Agreement

(ALBANY) – Lawmakers announced last night that they have a deal on a bill that will legalize marijuana in New York.

Eli Northrup, Policy Counsel for the Criminal Defense Practice at  The Bronx Defenders, issued the following reaction: 

“We are extremely happy to see that the bill announced closely mirrors the framework of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act that Black and brown communities have been advocating for years for.  Bronx Defenders clients have been disproportionately targeted for enforcement of marijuana laws, and their voices were instrumental in moving this legislation forward.

Marijuana justice means working to undo the immense damage done by the War on Drugs and ensuring that the communities most impacted by prohibition—including many here in the Bronx—have a chance to benefit from legalization as well.

We look forward to working with lawmakers over the coming weeks to ensure that the latest version of the Marijauan Regulation and Taxation Act is passed, and that legalization represents true marijuana justice for all New Yorkers.”