BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O BTR CT. 1-7, 2021 9
applicants.
Cannabis justice advocates
have pegged the Bronx
as one of the communities
that could benefi t most from
the social equity framework
of the law.
“Most of us know that
the Bronx communities —
I came from the Wakefi eld
section of the Bronx — were
highly overpoliced especially
when it came to cannabis,”
said Tanya Osborne, director
of events & production
for Women Grow, an organization
dedicated to female
leadership in the cannabis
industry. “My hope is that we
see cannabis start to benefi t
those affected communities
in the Bronx.”
Moore said that there are
also ideas to create continuing
education and technical
assistance programs for future
Bronx cannabis growers
and business partners.
“Prohibition and enforcement
and criminalization
have impacted the communities
in the Bronx and they’re
really looking ahead (to retail
sales in 2022),” she added.
“So we are going to continue
to look at how community
members can plugin and do
so in a way that is cooperative
based as we’re establishing
a new industry.”
As New York City is antsy
to get its cannabis market up
and running, neighboring
New Jersey recently released
its rules for its adult-use marijuana
program. New Jersey
voters approved a legalization
referendum last year.
While there is still more
to be determined and decided
on before the cannabis retail
market starts up in 2022, it’s
clear that decriminalization
of cannabis has already paid
dividends.
Criminal possession arrests
of cannabis in NYC fell
from a 2021 fi rst-quarter total
of 163 to just eight in the
most recent quarter, according
to NYPD data.
Under legalization, adults
21 and older can possess up to
three ounces of marijuana,
so those busts are for possession
in excess of the limit.
Part 3 will examine opponents
to New York’s cannabis
laws and examining the future
or plausibility of legalization
of other substances.
Tremaine Wright was appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to serve as the chair of the Offi ce of Cannabis Management.
Photos courtesy Getty Images
Although he lacks any cannabis experience,
Chris Alexander, aformer
staffer at The Drug Policy Alliance,
will lead the statesOffi ce of Cannabis
Managementafter being appointed
as its executive director.