Legalized Recreational Marijuana in New York State?

I try not to get too political on the air or on my blog. I have very strong political opinions but like the old saying goes, never talk about politics or religion. On air and on my blog, I refrain from forcing my beliefs on anybody. I might say what I believe, but that is just my opinion and you have every right to either agree with me or disagree with me.

Today in our newscast, Kathy Whyte mentioned that Senator Fred Akshar has released his latest Community Voice Survey. There are many topics that Senator Akshar wants your opinion on, including; renewable energy, election reform, and the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana in New York.

There are pros and cons to legalizing marijuana. One of the biggest pros alone would be tax revenue. I'm sure it would also ease the burden of overcrowding in New York prisons due to the number of inmates that are currently being held on marijuana charges. Not to mention the creation of jobs. One of the biggest cons that people have been saying about marijuana for years, is that it's a 'gateway drug' that sometimes leads to use of harder drugs. Even though, a lot of people that smoke marijuana recreationally, have disagreed with that statement. There are also health concerns when it comes to smoking marijuana. New York is one of 29 states that has already legalized the use of medical marijuana. And so far, nine states have legalized the use of recreational marijuana. According to Business Insider, a recent Gallup poll showed that 64% of Americans support legalization. The states that already have legalized recreational marijuana include; Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

I know where I stand on this issue, and just like Senator Fred Akshar, I want to know where you stand on this issue.

Here is the link to the Senator's survey

[via Business Insider]