The journey toward cannabis legalization in New York State has been marked by decades of prohibition, enforcement, and social injustice. Cannabis legalization is a testament to evolving attitudes and changing legislation. New York’s journey in legalizing cannabis began in 2021, but we must not discount the earlier history of how criminalization of marijuana deeply impacted communities and individuals nationwide.

War on Drugs

The legal aspects of cannabis date back to the 1600s, but we’re not going to do that to you. We’ll jump forward to the 1970s when President Richard Nixon declared “the war on drugs” government initiative. Using federal funding to create fear with military intervention and strict punishments for dealers and users for small offenses. The Controlled Substance Act was passed placing marijuana as a Substance 1 drug – the same category as heroin and ecstasy. Nixon then went on to form the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) placing agents throughout the U.S. mainly targeting illegal drug-use and smuggling.

The ulterior motives of the war on drugs had become clear. By getting the public to associate drugs with immigrants and people of color, it gave the right-wing party all the ammo they needed to arrest leaders, raid homes, and break-up parties. In the 1980s, President Ronald Regan continued Nixon’s work. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act was passed, establishing mandatory prison sentences. Racial injustice has happened again as people of color were given longer prison sentences than white people. There is clear data pointing to the racial injustice that people of color were specifically targeted only on suspicion.

In the 21st century, the public and policymakers have each raised their concerns that the war on drugs is not an effective movement and it led to racial divide. With the recent legalization of marijuana in over 40 states steps have been taken to decrease sentencing and lowering penalties.