It was this week that a group of governors on the Northeast coast got together for a marijuana summit.
On Thursday, the governors convened to agree to basic principles for legal cannabis programs they plan to pursue in 2020.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) organized the meeting where they joined by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D).
“This is a very important topic,” Cuomo stated. “It is probably one of the most challenging issues that I know I’ve had to address in the state of New York. It is complicated, it is controversial and it is consequential. That is a very difficult and challenging combination.”
“It’s consequential because if you do not do it right, you can do harm, and the whole purpose here is to do good,” Cuomo added.
Cuomo tweeted, “A big welcome to @GovNedLamont, @GovMurphy, and @GovernorTomWolf who are joining me for the Regional Cannabis and Vaping Summit. Great that leaders from RI, CO, and Mass. are here also. Can’t wait for what will be a very meaningful policy discussion.”
The summit is being broken up into five sessions: on vaping and related issues, market regulation and social justice issues, public health consequences of cannabis, public safety issues and a “best practices” panel led by Colorado representatives.
“The point is, this is a challenge for all of us,” Cuomo said. “There is a desire to do this. I believe the people of this state and our surrounding states have a desire to do it. But the old expression the devil is in the details, how you do this makes all the difference. And as I said it can be a positive if done right, it can be a negative if it is not done correctly.”
