New York City Comptroller Says Regulate and Tax Marijuana

New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate John Liu made headlines this week when he proposed regulating and taxing marijuana sales for adults 21 and older. In a formal statement, he said:

New York City’s misguided war on marijuana has failed, and its enforcement has damaged far too many lives, especially in minority communities. It’s time for us to implement a responsible alternative. Regulating marijuana would keep thousands of New Yorkers out of the criminal justice system, offer relief to those suffering from a wide range of painful medical conditions, and make our streets safer by sapping the dangerous underground market that targets our children. As if that weren’t enough, it would also boost our bottom line.

Although the city comptroller isn't in a position to make legislative changes to marijuana laws — such as in Albany, where politicians have repeatedly failed to pass medical marijuana legislation — it is very noteworthy that a citywide elected official in the nation's largest city is speaking out on the issue.