"In 2021, New York state finally voted to legalize recreational marijuana. Under the law, the first 150 licenses granted by the state would be issued to 'justice-involved' people who had previously been convicted for marijuana offenses."
"Then-mayor Bill de Blasio moved to reduce arrests further in 2014. The same year, then-Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson stated that his office would stop prosecuting most nonviolent, low-level marijuana offenses."
"Court battles prevented legal recreational dispensaries from opening in Brooklyn until late 2023, more than two years after adult-use marijuana was legalized in New York State."
"Taking advantage of what they saw as a legal and logistical 'gray area,' unlicensed dispensaries grew bolder, leading to confiscations and arrests by state and city officials."
Brooklyn's cannabis landscape has evolved significantly, transitioning from harsh penalties for marijuana possession to a vibrant market with nearly 80 legal dispensaries. The state legalized recreational marijuana in 2021, allowing for the issuance of licenses to those previously convicted of marijuana offenses. Prior to this, efforts to reduce arrests began in 2014, and court battles delayed the opening of legal dispensaries until late 2023. The history of marijuana in Kings County reflects a gradual shift from prohibition to acceptance and commercialization.
Read at Brooklyn Paper
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