Assemblyman Keith Brown (R,C-Northport) was joined by local and state officials in a recent letter to Gov. Hochul and state Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright, urging them to prepare New York state for the upcoming legalization of marijuana. The letter suggests the state must act as quickly as possible by establishing the following rules and regulations needed to ensure, promote and maintain public safety:

• Prohibit the sale or delivery of any candy products and packaging resembling candy containing THC in the state;
• Establish potency levels for all cannabis products;
• Develop and implement a comprehensive education campaign regarding the dangers of underage cannabinoid use as quickly as possible;
• Appoint a member of law enforcement and/or a prosecutor to the Cannabis Control Board;
• Permit municipalities to opt-out of dispensaries and lounges, even after they opt--n;
• Expressly prohibit smoking cannabis in public at state parks and beaches, and increase the penalties for violators;
• Increase the penalty for possessing a fake medical marijuana card and/or fake or mutilated Driver Identification cards from any state;
• Research and publish the number of Drug Recognition Experts (“DRE”) trained for marijuana by county;
• Increase the number of DRE's in every county by January 2023; and
• Permit the use of opioid settlement money for individuals with Marijuana Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery.

“Our top priority is to ensure these regulations are passed to prevent any unintended consequences, promote public safety on our roads and deal with any potential underage cannabis use,” said Brown. “Therefore, I urge Gov. Kathy Hochul and Chair Tremaine Wright to take action sooner, rather than later.”