In Vermont, the governor just signed a law allowing people to consume marijuana recreationally. The newly inaugurated governor of New Jersey has made it clear that he wants weed legalized.
But in neighboring New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- an outspoken opponent of legalized marijuana -- has, well, appointed a task force to study the issue.
State Senator Gustavo Rivera, however, thinks that what is happening in the other states will inevitably lead New York to liberalize its laws.
"When something is legal in one state and not legal in another, you will have people crossing the border to go and get it," Senator Rivera said in an interview Tuesday on Cheddar's weekly "Cannabiz" show. "You see that with firecrackers; they're legal in many states but illegal in others. So certainly it can have an impact on what happens in one state, when people of that state go to another to acquire it, which is why, yes, there is pressure now."
Governor Cuomo has long argued that marijuana was a "gateway drug" that could lead to the use of other, more dangerous drugs. As recently as a year ago, he said, "I am unconvinced on recreational marijuana." His creation of a task force to study the legalization issues suggests that his views have softened, at least somewhat.
But Senator Rivera, a Democrat who represents portions of the Bronx, says the issue is pretty clear-cut. "Many of us are saying let's make sure that we do the right thing in the state of New York, that we push for recreational marijuana to exist in New York. It would be the right thing to do."
For full segment [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/when-will-new-york-legalize-marijuana).
Voters in the U.S. are nearing the end of a fraught U.S. election season. They're casting the last of what will likely be a record-setting number of ballots.
Voters across the U.S. received anonymous robocalls in the lead up to Election Day urging them to “stay safe and stay home” - an ominous warning that election officials say could be an effort to scare voters.
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Former Vice President Joe Biden has been hoping to match Trump in the one area where the president dominates most — social media advertising.
The Republican and Democratic candidates for Utah's gubernatorial seat having linked arms for an unconventional campaign ad that shows despite conflicting ideas, civility is possible. Lt. Governor Spencer Cox and Democratic challenger, Chris Peterson joined Cheddar to discuss how civility among people and politicians can move the country forward.
With weekly jobless claims remaining high, voters might want to know more about what former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump intend to do on the issue of labor.
Voters in Arizona, Montana, and New Jersey will vote on adult-use cannabis legalization, while voters in Mississippi will decide on medical cannabis and South Dakota will consider both medical and adult-use simultaneously.
Digital political ads , while not the primary source for campaigns, are growing in popularity. Cheddar's Michelle Castillo takes a look at how Facebook's political ad policies are being implemented.
Police are investigating vandalism that left several headstones at a Jewish cemetery in Grand Rapids spray-painted with “TRUMP” and “MAGA” before President Donald Trump held his final campaign rally in the western Michigan city.
