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Legislators continue pushing for legalization of recreational marijuana

Mike Desmond/WBFO

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes says legalizing marijuana for adult use may still fall into place before the end of the current legislative session in Albany.

Peoples-Stokes shared her thoughts with constituents Thursday night at UB's Hayes Hall.

"We need to legalize adult use for adults over 21, in a regulated market that engages people who are currently in the underground market," Peoples-Stokes said.

"We need to make sure peoples' records are expunged and/or sealed who have been convicted of low-level marijuana crimes and we also need to make sure there are opportunities for business."

Peoples-Stokes has been pushing for the initiatives for a long time. She wants a significant piece of revenue for pot sales to be spent in communities hit hard by the drug war. 

The struggle over revenue remains a large stumbling block to legalization. The legislative leader told the gathering they "would really be amazed at the number of people who come forward, then try to figure out where's their cut."

"I think what we're actually dealing with more than anything is exactly what does the statute say about how revenues are to be used," she said.

Another key element for Peoples-Stokes  is scrubbing the criminal records of those with low-level marijuana convictions. That may cover as many as 300,000 people.

Mike Desmond is one of Western New York’s most experienced reporters, having spent nearly a half-century covering the region for newspapers, television stations and public radio. He has been with WBFO and its predecessor, WNED-AM, since 1988. As a reporter for WBFO, he has covered literally thousands of stories involving education, science, business, the environment and many other issues. Mike has been a long-time theater reviewer for a variety of publications and was formerly a part-time reporter for The New York Times.