This past session, we scored a big victory in the battle to keep marijuana out of the hands of minors. During budget deliberations, we passed a bill in the Assembly and the Senate that gave municipalities the ability to go after businesses that engage in the illicit sale of marijuana. Not only does this bill strengthen the enforcement authority of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), which was sorely needed, but it provides additional enforcement authority to our county government to adopt their own laws to establish a process to execute an order to cease unlicensed activity, seize and destroy illicit cannabis, and establish their own civil penalties against illicit operators.
In 2021, 35.4 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25 reported using marijuana in the past year and, in 2022, 30.7 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana with 6.3 percent of them reporting that they use marijuana daily.
In addition, many young people also use vaping devices to consume cannabis products. In 2018, more than one in 10 eighth graders (that’s 10.9%) say they vaped in the past year. According to the DEA, the marijuana concentrate that is used for vaping is a highly potent THC concentrated mass that is most similar in appearance to either honey or butter, which is why it is known on the street as “honey oil” or “budder.” It can contain extraordinarily high THC levels ranging from 40% to 80%. This form of marijuana can be up to four times stronger in THC content than high-grade or top-shelf marijuana, which normally measures around 20% THC levels.
Marijuana overconsumption, known as marijuana use disorder, has a long list of problems associated with it — altered senses, altered sense of time, changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking and problem-solving, impaired memory, hallucinations in high doses, as well as delusions. Long-term effects of consumption include harm to brain health, mental health and physical health.
I have been hard at work in Albany to try and stem the tide of marijuana use among our youth by proposing bills, such as A7951, which would add penalties for the underage use of cannabis, including having the OCM contact the parents or guardians of underage users and require attendance at a cannabis diversion program. I proposed A9952 which requires the electronic cigarette and vaping prevention, awareness and control program be used by all schools. And I have also proposed having the month of April declared Cannabis Awareness Month.
On the local level, I have been working with the County Executive, the County Attorney and the District Attorney to use the new law to go after shops and vehicles selling pot illegally.
Through efforts such as this at both the state and local levels, we will be able to lessen the number of underage users of marijuana and help our kids lead healthier lives.
Hon. Keith P. Brown
NYS Assemblyman, 12th AD