Where do the Rest of New York’s Mayoral Candidates Stand on Legal Weed?
Sal Albanese
Per usual, Albanese’s stance on the issue is the most progressive of any candidate, and he started talking about legalization before just about anyone else. In a column for the Guardian this past April, Albanese wrote, “No matter how you crunch the numbers, the conclusion is the same: current marijuana laws are creating more problems than they are solving. By legalizing marijuana, we can allow officers to focus on patrol and build a rapport with communities. This will improve trust and the flow of information, enabling cops to more easily identify real troublemakers and drastically cut down on stops of law-abiding citizens. […] By regulating marijuana, we can put black-market drug dealers out of business and eliminate the rebellious allure that attracts young people. By taxing marijuana, we can raise billions of dollars in new revenue to pay teachers better, create pediatric wellness centers, invest in schools, and expand health services to prevent and treat drug addiction.” Per usual, Albanese is right.
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