For two years now, we have led the charge against marijuana legalization in New York State.
Over the last few months, we have helped thousands of New Yorkers in raise their voice in opposition to passing marijuana commercialization through the budget process.
In a tremendous victory for health and safety, the New York State Legislature released the budget today - and marijuana commercialization has once again been left by the side of the road.
This is a significant victory.
New York is currently the epicenter of the COIVD-19 epidemic in the United States. Lawmakers rightly chose to put the best interests of New Yorkers ahead of the demands of Big Marijuana.
While the state is staring down a huge slashing of funding to essential programs such as education and Medicaid, Big Pot's lobbyists urged state lawmakers to spend upwards of $35 million upfront to institute legalization.
While Big Pot has been working to rush through marijuana commercialization in New York, they've also been working hard to exploit the ongoing pandemic.
They have been lobbying to have their businesses deemed "essential," bragging about huge increases in sales and record profits...
...all while begging the federal government to be included in the aiding sent to small businesses nationwide due to the outbreak.
Actions such as this show exactly why we must never stop fighting this addiction-for-profit scheme.
While we should see today as a tremendous victory, we must not pack it in now.
We are still monitoring potential fights in state houses across the country -- including the risk New York may try to pass a standalone bill -- and we must also keep holding the line against the marijuana industry's supporters in Congress.
We are ready to keep taking these challenges head on, and together, we are truly making a difference.
