Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to bring medical cannabis to 20 hospitals around New York, announced this week, has been criticized by activists for being too narrow and too reliant on federal government approval to do any good. Now, Patricia Lynch, a powerful Albany lobbyist, says a more powerful piece of legislation could be enacted in New York City. “With the governor now moving statewide toward his pilot project, efforts are underway to craft a viable New York City-only medical marijuana bill,” she told Capital New York.
According to Capital, New York City-centric medical legalization might involve requiring dispensaries to pay a start-up fee — not a tax — as new taxes require approval from the state. But would Bill de Blasio and new City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Vivierto approve?
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