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The MRTA: What You Need to Know About Marijuana Legalization in New York

Date: May 31, 2021
Author(s): Miles Gresham
Topic(s): Criminal Justice: General, Economic Development: General
Type: Fact Sheet
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In March 2021, New York State adopted the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), a historic law that legalizes the use of recreational marijuana. In doing so, the MRTA centers racial and economic justice to repair the harms caused by decades of biased marijuana enforcement. It will bring revenue from marijuana legalization to communities most impacted by criminalization. It also removes or expunges past marijuana convictions.

This fact sheet summarizes what residents should know about the MRTA. It covers the rules created by MRTA, exceptions to legal marijuana possession and use, and information on record expungement.

It was drafted by Miles Gresham, Esq., Policy Fellow at Partnership for the Public Good. Contact the author at Miles@ppgbuffalo.org.