Either the craziest idea ever conjured up over an evening of bong hits or the most brilliant proposal to come out of Albany in decades? Time will tell but NY’s Governor has proposed legislation that will give the state’s first licensed marijuana retailers to individuals or family members who have been convicted of a marijuana-related offense. Taxpayer money would be spent to find, secure and renovate storefronts for retailers.
The first wave of applicants will likely include individuals like Baron Fajado, a real gem who was arrested for smoking marijuana at 16 which was followed by a half dozen other pot arrests as he moved from smoking to dealing. Perhaps there is some nobility in all of this as people with past drug charges have certainly “gone on to do great things,” according to Chris Alexander, the executive director of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management but handing out licenses to convicted felons without legitimate business experience on taxpayer’s dime seems a bit misguided.
This author couldn’t be more in favor of the legalization of weed and like Hunter S. Thompson who viewed marijuana “as a basic staple of life, along with beer and ice and grapefruits,” I can concur with most of those things but I don’t think he should spearhead a multi-million dollar retail operation.
Mckinley, Jesse, and Grace Ashford. “New Yorkers with Marijuana Convictions Will Get First Retail Licenses.” The New York Times, 9 Mar. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/nyregion/marijuana-sellers-licenses-hochul.html.
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