The Daily News is Dead Wrong About Cannabis in New York

Unbalanced Reporting Alert: The Daily News (a New York City daily paper) has just blasted a story filled with so many errors in judgment, we are concerned about who's in charge over there.

Background: The article, called "Cuomo's marijuana mistake: Legalizing pot is bad for young people and public health" popped up on our Flipboard news aggregator.

Let's pop the weasels one by one, shall we?

"Just last year, Gov. Cuomo stood on the side of public health when he stated he was against legalizing marijuana because “marijuana leads to other drugs and there’s a lot of proof that that’s true.”

Was Cuomo standing on the side of "public health", or on the side of recreational competitors - the Alcohol Industry - which reportedly donate heavily to his campaigns . Or was he standing on the side of the "Law and Order" crowd that has traditionally (and wrongly) supported the failed "War on Drugs"? Fact is, every politician in the universe (we're looking at you, Lando) has been against cannabis legalization until relatively recently.

No doubt, Cuomo is VERY LATE to come around, but he's finally arrived and if he does cannabis (and hemp) right, without being too greedy on the taxes, New York could develop a very robust new industry, and perhaps discover cures for some persistent health conditions.

"Now, in a sudden about-face, he is ignoring the state medical society and has officially called for the state legislature to legalize the drug. Given the high potency rates of today’s marijuana, Cuomo’s new position is dangerous for our state."

A more realistic approach: "Given that a) the War on Drugs has always been unfairly targeted at minorities; b) cannabis (and hemp) Prohibition has been prosecuted for 80 years and only resulted in higher potency, lower cost, and ubiquitous distribution, and c) new regulations lead to more security, safer supply, less black market violence, more scientific research, jobs, and the creation of new life-changing medicinal products, Cuomo's new position is THE ONLY SENSIBLE APPROACH for our state."

The article continues to mis-diagnose arrest patterns in Washington DC; cherry pick biased 'reports' about Colorado's overwhelmingly successful cannabis program that has raised about $1 Billion in new taxes for the state since legalization, without an increase in use by youth, crime, or traffic accidents; and dear lord the Daily News has also raised the issue of youth use - - they'd apparently rather have pot sold in middle schools behind the bike racks than by licensed, vetted, fingerprinted, and well-capitalized dispensaries that would no sooner risk all that selling to a minor than jump off the George Washington Bridge.

Daily News: please catch up. The Reason Bus is leaving without you.

Image source: Daily News