In the USA, the fight against drug trafficking is closely linked to structural racism against minorities. Black people in particular suffered and suffer from this. The New York state legislature and senate have now passed legislation legalizing the possession, cultivation and distribution of cannabis. Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to sign it. This would make New York the 15th state to legalize the drug.
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According to the new law, possession of 85 grams of cannabis should be allowed. The cultivation of six hemp plants per person should also be permitted, but only three of them may bear fruit at the same time. People should be able to buy drugs in licensed shops. In addition, it should be allowed to consume in so-called lounges, but in which no alcohol may be drunk.
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Fight against racism or big business?
Peter Mücke is a correspondent in New York. He says that in the current political climate it is beneficial to “underpin” a political decision with the fight against structural racism. That makes it easier to get majorities. But the state actually has a different goal, says Mücke: “New York also wants a piece of the hash cake.”
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The metropolis is bothered by the fact that the two neighboring states of New Jersey and Massachusetts have already legalized cannabis and that New Yorkers stock up on the drug there in the huge cannabis shops on the border. But they should rather spend the money in their own state. Politicians therefore usually speak openly about legalization and are now putting pressure on it.
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In addition, there is a gigantic budget deficit: 15 billion dollars are missing this year, 63 billion by 2024. The legalization of cannabis promises the state additional tax revenue of 350 million dollars a year and tens of thousands of new jobs.
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Minorities should benefit
In the next step, the state of New York must clarify the issue of licenses. Among other things, this involves the following questions: Who is allowed to cultivate at all? Who is allowed to sell the drugs? Who is allowed to operate lounges where cannabis can be consumed? New York wants to give preference to minorities so that they can also benefit from big business.
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That poses a problem for Mücke: “You can also see in other states that these small cannabis farmers have already been pushed out of the market by the huge companies, some of which are listed.” In other parts of the United States, it has now become “big business”. It remains to be seen whether minorities really benefit.
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For Mücke, one of the most important points in the legalization law is the deletion of minor drug offenses from the criminal record. A particularly large number of members of minorities, including many blacks, are in prison for comparatively minor drug-related offences. This is particularly important because it is difficult to rent an apartment, get a job or a loan with a criminal record in the USA.
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