People of Color in New York are still under disproportionate threats from cannabis arrests, despite legalization on the horizon

New York legalized marijuana this year, but the NYPD continued to make cannabis-related arrests, according to new data released this month.

The numbers show that in America’s largest city, police made 163 marijuana arrests in the five boroughs in the first quarter of 2021, the overwhelming majority of whom were people of color. 78 of these arrests were of blacks, 70 of them Hispanics. Only six of those arrested for marijuana were white. This is problematic when you consider that the rate of marijuana use is relatively the same between blacks and whites, according to a report by the ACLU.

The newly released data also revealed that 3,687 subpoenas were issued by the NYPD for possession of marijuana in the first quarter of the year, including 2,374 blacks and 1,089 Hispanics.

These numbers roughly match the numbers seen in Q1 2020, when the NYPD made 132 arrests and 3,623 summonses for possession related to cannabis. The total number of arrests, however, is a steep drop from Q1 2019 when there were 606 pot-related arrests.

Still, the latest numbers will dismay proponents celebrating the arrival of legalization in the Empire State.

The leisure pot is coming to New York

In March, after years of failed efforts, New York officially legalized recreational marijuana use for adults.

Reform was a top priority this year for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who, after signing the legalization law, described it as “a historic day in New York – one to redress the wrongs of the past by putting him in harsh prison puts an end ”. Judgments, includes an industry that grows the Empire State’s economy and prioritizes marginalized communities so that those who have suffered the most are the first to benefit. “

“This was one of my top priorities on this year’s state-of-the-state agenda, and I am proud that these sweeping reforms address and balance social justice, security and the economic impact of legal adult cannabis use. I thank both the Führer and the speaker and the tireless advocacy of so many for helping to make this historic day possible, ”said Cuomo at the time.

In 2019, Cuomo signed a law decriminalizing marijuana, saying at the time: “[c]Color communities have been disproportionately influenced by marijuana laws for far too long, and today we end that injustice once and for all. “

Additionally, in 2018, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio directed the NYPD to issue subpoenas for those caught smoking weed in public, rather than making an arrest.

The legalization bill signed by Cuomo in March also had some immediate effects. Most importantly, pot smoking was allowed wherever tobacco smoking is allowed. The governor’s office said it also “creates automatic erasures or re-convictions for anyone with a previous marijuana conviction that would now be legal under the law and provide the necessary funding.”

The timing of the latest arrest and subpoena numbers is also noteworthy given the recent actions of a judge in New York City.

Earlier this month, the senior judge of the Bronx Criminal Court granted a motion by the Bronx District Attorney to dismiss more than 6,000 improper possessions or sales of marijuana.

The judge overseeing the decision, George A. Grasso, alluded to recent legislative reforms as a motivation for the decision.

“Our criminal justice system has responded quickly to the actions and intentions of New York State lawmakers on over 6,000 pending and closed marijuana-related matters,” said Grasso. “This means that thousands of individuals (many of them young people of color) can now go about their business without being under the cloud of criminal affairs. I am proud of our court’s continued partnership with the Office of the District Attorney and Defense Bar in our efforts to bring about fair and impartial justice in Bronx County! “