Law enforcement officials voice concerns regarding recently passed marijuana law
CHENANGO COUNTY – Local law enforcement officials voiced their concerns about the recently passed recreational marijuana law, and the impacts it might have on the safety of Chenango County communities.
According to a story from the Associated Press, “New York adults over the age of 21 can now possess and use marijuana — even in public — under a legalization bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, though legal sales of recreational-use cannabis won't start for an estimated 18 months until regulations are set.”
Meanwhile local law enforcement officials including City of Norwich Deputy Chief Scott Burlison are attempting to figure out how to address the cultural change, and figure out ways to keep their residents safe.
“It’s going to be a learning curve for law enforcement state wide,” said Burlison. “Based on what happened out in Colorado, there were a number of things like motor vehicle accidents rates going up that they weren’t ready for.”
“One of the largest issues we’re facing right now is there’s nothing to test someone for their level of THC, unlike the tests we have for people who are driving while intoxicated.”
Law enforcement officials around Chenango County were hesitant to confirm that marijuana was legal due to the confusion surrounding how the marijuana law was passed. Burlison said at the very least anyone trying marijuana should stay off of the roads.
“For right now all we can tell people is if you’re going to indulge in it - do it at home, and treat it like you would if it was your first time drinking,” he said. “You don’t know how something like that is going to affect you, and you don’t want to get in your vehicle and cause an accident.”
“This is all new for us, and you would think the training would come first but it didn’t in this case; we were given a 150 page document with no guidance from the state, and we’re still trying to work everything out.”
According to Chenango County District Attorney Michael Ferrarese, the marijuana law that was passed on Wednesday may impact public safety as it becomes harder for law enforcement to search vehicles as well.
“Our legislature, that has a liberal downstate majority, passed the legalization of marijuana in a similar fashion to the way bail and discovery reform passed,” said Ferrarese. “That is without law enforcement and district attorneys having the opportunity to have meaningful input.”
“I recognize that there is a segment of the population that supports the legalization of recreational marijuana use, and I don’t necessarily oppose the passage of such a law, but I’m adamantly opposed to the text contained in the law and how it was passed.”
Ferrarese said under the new law, it will be very difficult to prosecute someone operating a motor vehicle while they are impaired by marijuana unless the operator of the motor vehicle makes admissions that they are under the influence of marijuana at that time. Ferrarese added that officers being able to smell marijuana and search a vehicle has led to a significant amount of larger busts involving other drugs and firearms in the past. He said this law is going to have a big impact on how law enforcement keeps the streets safe.
“There will be many collateral consequences as a result of this law, such as police officers will no longer have the ability to search a motor vehicle based on the smell of marijuana,” he added. “Police could normally use the smell of marijuana as an opportunity to find illegally possessed firearms, heroin, meth, and cocaine.”
“The consequence of law enforcement officials not being able to search a motor vehicle will undoubtedly lead to more violent crime, because we will have more illegal guns on the streets.”
Ferrarese said the creation of the law and the way it was passed unnecessarily put people in danger.
“When you combined the newly passed marijuana law with the bail and discovery reform laws the only result created by the downstate liberal majority is less safe roadways and communities throughout the entirety of the state of New York; because we are going to now have more illegal guns and illicit drugs on our streets,” said Ferrarese. “I was not opposed to the passage of some sort of recreational marijuana law, but I am dead set against the language contained in this statute.”
Those who are interested in learning more about the law may visit https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-legislation-legalizing-adult-use-cannabis for additional information.
According to a story from the Associated Press, “New York adults over the age of 21 can now possess and use marijuana — even in public — under a legalization bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, though legal sales of recreational-use cannabis won't start for an estimated 18 months until regulations are set.”
Meanwhile local law enforcement officials including City of Norwich Deputy Chief Scott Burlison are attempting to figure out how to address the cultural change, and figure out ways to keep their residents safe.
“It’s going to be a learning curve for law enforcement state wide,” said Burlison. “Based on what happened out in Colorado, there were a number of things like motor vehicle accidents rates going up that they weren’t ready for.”
“One of the largest issues we’re facing right now is there’s nothing to test someone for their level of THC, unlike the tests we have for people who are driving while intoxicated.”
Law enforcement officials around Chenango County were hesitant to confirm that marijuana was legal due to the confusion surrounding how the marijuana law was passed. Burlison said at the very least anyone trying marijuana should stay off of the roads.
“For right now all we can tell people is if you’re going to indulge in it - do it at home, and treat it like you would if it was your first time drinking,” he said. “You don’t know how something like that is going to affect you, and you don’t want to get in your vehicle and cause an accident.”
“This is all new for us, and you would think the training would come first but it didn’t in this case; we were given a 150 page document with no guidance from the state, and we’re still trying to work everything out.”
According to Chenango County District Attorney Michael Ferrarese, the marijuana law that was passed on Wednesday may impact public safety as it becomes harder for law enforcement to search vehicles as well.
“Our legislature, that has a liberal downstate majority, passed the legalization of marijuana in a similar fashion to the way bail and discovery reform passed,” said Ferrarese. “That is without law enforcement and district attorneys having the opportunity to have meaningful input.”
“I recognize that there is a segment of the population that supports the legalization of recreational marijuana use, and I don’t necessarily oppose the passage of such a law, but I’m adamantly opposed to the text contained in the law and how it was passed.”
Ferrarese said under the new law, it will be very difficult to prosecute someone operating a motor vehicle while they are impaired by marijuana unless the operator of the motor vehicle makes admissions that they are under the influence of marijuana at that time. Ferrarese added that officers being able to smell marijuana and search a vehicle has led to a significant amount of larger busts involving other drugs and firearms in the past. He said this law is going to have a big impact on how law enforcement keeps the streets safe.
“There will be many collateral consequences as a result of this law, such as police officers will no longer have the ability to search a motor vehicle based on the smell of marijuana,” he added. “Police could normally use the smell of marijuana as an opportunity to find illegally possessed firearms, heroin, meth, and cocaine.”
“The consequence of law enforcement officials not being able to search a motor vehicle will undoubtedly lead to more violent crime, because we will have more illegal guns on the streets.”
Ferrarese said the creation of the law and the way it was passed unnecessarily put people in danger.
“When you combined the newly passed marijuana law with the bail and discovery reform laws the only result created by the downstate liberal majority is less safe roadways and communities throughout the entirety of the state of New York; because we are going to now have more illegal guns and illicit drugs on our streets,” said Ferrarese. “I was not opposed to the passage of some sort of recreational marijuana law, but I am dead set against the language contained in this statute.”
Those who are interested in learning more about the law may visit https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-legislation-legalizing-adult-use-cannabis for additional information.
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