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).
Stock indexes ended a wobbly day with modest gains Thursday, while the biggest increases went to Amazon, Netflix and other companies poised to do the best during the coronavirus crunch.
The government’s paycheck protection loan program for small businesses is on hold. The Small Business Administration has announced that it reached the $349 billion lending limit for the program.
New York state will extend its stay-at-home restrictions at least through May 15. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that transmission rates still need to be tamed as he prolonged the restrictions that have left most New Yorkers housebound.
Stocks are mixed in early trading on Wall Street after the government reported that 5.2 million more people filed for unemployment benefits last week, which was not quite as many as had been feared.
Another 5.2 million people filed for unemployment in the week ending April 11, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report released Thursday morning.
President Donald Trump says he’s prepared to announce new guidelines allowing some states to quickly ease up on on social distancing. At same time, though, business leaders are telling Trump they need more coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment before people can safely go back to work.
The IRS announced on March 21 that the federal income tax filing deadline has been pushed to July 15, 2020, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Selling swept Wall Street after a dismal lineup of reports made clear how historic the coronavirus crunch has been for the economy. Markets are already bracing for what’s forecast to be the worst downturn since the Great Depression, but Wednesday’s data was even more dispiriting than expected.
John Stanton, co-founder of the Save Journalism Project, told Cheddar that the widespread cost-cutting and layoffs will have a long-term impact on the health of journalism.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday told Cheddar that he is officially endorsing former vice president Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for the presidency.
