I think this is a cop out by Governor Cuomo. Communities across the City have been calling on Cuomo to take action against the NYPD's controversial Stop, Question and Frisk policy, and this is what he came up with? The main concern among many New Yorkers is racial profiling, and this change in State law does nothing to address that issue. While it may reduce arrests during stop-and-frisk operations, I know it's not what many New Yorkers were hoping to hear from the Governor.

Governor Cuomo is proposing change to a State law that may affect the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy. He’s asking the State legislature to reduce the penalty for possessing 25 grams of marijuana or less to a violation instead of a misdemeanor. While this move is expected to reduce the number of arrests, it won’t necessarily decrease the number of police stops.

Advocates for the change argue thousands of young black and Latino men are unfairly funneled into the criminal justice system after are they are stopped by police officers for other reasons, and told to empty their pockets, putting small amounts of marijuana in public view. Last year, police made more than 50,000 arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession.

The push comes on the heels of Police Commissioner Kelly's instruction to officers not to arrest those caught with the drug in their pockets. Mayor Bloomberg has said low-level drug enforcement helps prevent more serious crimes like drug dealing and drug-related violence, but today he released a statement supporting the Governor's move. He said the change still would give police what they need to maintain public safety, including making arrests for selling or smoking marijuana. Some argue no one should have marijuana on them, no matter how much. What do you say?

Do you support Governor Cuomo’s proposal? Do you think it sends the wrong message to young New Yorkers? Are you pleased or disappointed with the Governor’s efforts to reduce the number of stop-and-frisk arrests? What effect, if any, will it have on reducing the number of police stops?

Share your opinion using the e-mail link above.

Stupid idea.

Why doesn't someone in Politics actually do something useful and helpful rather
than just what looks good.

Esmerelda, East Village, NYC

PLEASE SPARE US WITH THE CONTINUED STUPIDITY. WE HAVE A SITTING MAYOR, A SITTING GOVERNOR AND THEY COME UP WITH THIS SOLUTION. MIND YOU WE CAN’T SMOKE, EAT SUGAR, EAT FATTY FOODS AND IN THE INTERIM ARE TRYING TO PUT SMALL BUSINESS’ OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THESE NEW LAWS THEY SEEM TO FEEL THAT WE ALL NEED TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE.

NOW CORRECT ME IF WRONG PREGNANT WOMEN CANNOT SMOKE FOR FEAR OF DOING HARM TO THE UN-BORN CHILD BUT THE MAN CAN NOT ONLY SMOKE CIGARETTES AND MARIJUANA BUT ISN’T THE MANS SPERM PART OF THE BABY MAKING PROCESS.

THESE POLITICIANS HAD BETTER START THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE SO CALLED MAN MADE LAWS AND THEN AFTER THEY ALL DO THEIR DAMAGE THEY LEAVE OFFICE AND WE ARE ALL LEFT WITH ALL OF THESE LAWS THAT WE DIDN’T WANT TO BEGIN WITH.

NO MATTER WHAT ALL OF THIS AND OTHER ANTICS THAT THE DO ARE JUST TO WIN VOTES. WHAT COWARDS.

WHERE IS THE CIVIL LIBERTIES TO REPRESENT US LAW ABIDING CITIZENS OF THIS STATE? THEY ONLY SHOW UP WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT OR JUST TO PLEASE ANOTHER POLITICIAN. WHAT ABOUT OUR RIGHTS?

I CONSIDER THEM JUST ANOTHER GROUP OF PUPPETS OR CRONIES.

PLEASE SPARE US WITH THE NUMBERS GAME YOU ALL SEEM TO RELY ON.
YOU ALL CAN MAKE ANYTHING LOOK GOOD IN YOUR FAVOR.

maxxiee
mp

Cuomo is doing everything under the sun as the son of the man who should have been President or Chief Justice and unfortunately the son will probably get the brass ring at some point; it wont be with my vote. I will support any Democrat in 2016, other than Andrew. This does bear some similarity to his father's stance on decriminalizing the Rockefeller Drug laws or was that Pataki?

JS
Flushing

This proposal sends entirely the wrong message to young adults, and to people in their early and middle teens -- for all of the trumpeting of such matters as "medical marijuana," there has been no change that I know of by any responsible authority in the evaluation of marijuana as a detriment to most users, or to society as a whole.

Bruce
Upper West Side
Manhattan

Question: Why was pot ever illegal?

It is none of the government's business what we ingest, inhale, imbibe or shoot up or in what quantity.

If any of these actions lead to the violation of another's rights, then, and only then, has a crime has been committed. If not, no crime is involved and the government must obey the Constitution and take a "hands off" approach.

Stop warrantless searches.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

Governor Cuomo:

1. Decriminalize all controlled substances and provide therapy to knock the mob out of drugs.
2. Honor your commitment to close Indian Point.
3. Develop a NY State energy policy with Fed subsidy and offering jobs to demobbed vets.

Peter

Unless and until the racial reasoning & condoning, whereby Black & Latino males, are the ones who are routinely, singled out - stopped, frisked, and unfairly arrested, based on the color of their skin, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WILL HAVE CHANGED.

Joyce
Springfield Gardens

Will the officers return or destroy my marijuana if they find a legal amount on my persons?

Jeremy
Forest Hills

Legalize it. Tax it. Everyone wins.

Jon

as a NYC law enforcement officer, I am outraged by the Governor's propose plan. what kind of message is this sending out to youths, that its ok to have a little,there goes all the hard work the NYPD has done and a slap in the face to the law and the hard working officers of the NYPD,

Ray
Hollis

Gov. Cuomo, is insane, where did he come up with this idea, this is the last thing young kids need to hear, there is not enough programs out there trying to deter drug use and here comes the Gov. promoting it....i want my family to live in a safe environment not smelling of weed

Peter
Hollis

Decriminalization of personal possession of small amounts of marijuana is a step in
the right direction, and it still leaves in effect criminal sanctions for the actual use of
this generally harmless, and often beneficial, weed. But what about the thousands
of people already saddled with misdemeanor convictions that will stigmatize them
for the rest of their lives in their quests for employment, professional licenses,
international travel, and even student financial aid?

To make this sea change truly meaningful, the Governor must establish a mechanism
by which those already convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession can have their
records expunged and sealed, perhaps after a period of good conduct, or simply because
the cost of such a stigma to society outweighs any real benefit. It's only fair.

An entire generation of Americans, and perhaps two, grew up smoking or exposed to
marijuana. The last three U.S. presidents, as well as numerous other public officials,
including judges, have possessed and smoked marijuana, and pot smoking is represented
as commonplace in our music, movies, and throughout our culture. Why should anyone
wear a scarlet letter for a de minimis, malum prohibitum pecadillo that is a crime only
because public policy doesn't know how to legalize and regulate it?

BIG ANDY
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn

This is just ridiculous, if you break the law you're a criminal, that simple. You're either doing something illegal or you're not. There's no gradation of legality! Why are we giving people who actively seek out to do something illegal ways out of trouble. Maybe it has something with my time serving my country but "when the mind does not comprehend the body must be punished."

Frustrated
Lower East Side

I think that Donna Lieberman is very miss Informed. The marijuana laws that are in place should not be changed. It sends the wrong message. The Governor & the rest of these people want the laws to be changed but do not understand the side effects that will come with those changes.

Far too many children think its ok to smoke marijuana already. As a nation we keep lowering the moral standard that our young will grow up under & then we question what's wrong with them when they act like they were raised without rules or respect. Marijuana is illegal. That's it. If you want to use it & walk around with it on your person then accept that you might be arrested for breaking the law. Hence don't do it!

Justin

A federal judge has ruled already that the "stop and frisk" procedure employed by the current mayor and police chief, is unconstitutional...period

The marijuana law has been circumvented by those same agency's that are suppose to uphold that very law, with the help of the mayor and his administration...period

Isn't it obvious that the rights of some groups have been violated and trampled upon, based purely on their ethnicity, or religious denomination?

K
Harlem

Small amounts of Marijuana should not against the law. Stop & frisk will not be affected, numbers will still remain high due go the increase in crime.

These so called Drug Rehab centers should be investigated as they are also part of the drug problem.

Jim
Inwood

I support this legislation based on the facts 1) young blacks and latinos are impacted in far greater numbers than non black and latinos who live n other areas and commit the same offenses 2) stop and frisks are inherently discriminative 3) the number of young people introduced to the penal system for the first time as a result of these arrests has exposed these youth to the true breeding ground of intense criminal behavior NYC jails 4) any chance of availability of resources and opportunities for betterment are immediately denied such offenders

Jeanette

Marijuana is a drug . It should not be legalized. The governor want to tax to gain more state revenue.

Kevin
Sheepshead bay

I completely agree with the governors decision. I'm listening to callers call in knocking this law. These people are obviously uneducated in this regard. Alcohol is toxic poison and so are cigarettes. Pot has been used as medicine for thousands of years by numerous civilizations. The real reason it remains illegal is because they cannot figure out how to regulate it...that and the fact that pharmaceutical companies lobby to keep it illegal while they produce junk to treat symptoms and not cure them.

Mike
Maspeth queens

I vote NO!

Why should we encourage drug use? I do not want marijuana smoked in the streets
and do not want my family breathing it in.

Stop and frisk is very effective in reducing crime. When we make decisions on safety
and the public welfare based upon political correctness, we deserve the failure and
decay, as a society, that is sure to ensue. (The police stop and frisk those who are
committing most of the crimes. Whom should they stop and frisk, 80 year old women?
Or should we just call a moratorium on law enforcement so that Governor Cuomo can
get enough votes for re-election.)

Marsha

The stop and frisks aren't designed to find small amounts of.pot. it is designed to find guns knives etc. Should they stop a youth because he's black no. But wait till someone kills someone with a car while high.

Don

We need to stop making criminals out of so many of our young people and branding them for life. I grew up white in the 1970s, never got into trouble, but would definitely have been in jail if I was a young black or brown man - or maybe even white man - today. I don't smoke but decriminalizing marijuana is ok with me, it should be no more or no less than alcohol possession. Under 18 possession is not ok.

Cary in Bensonhurst

Many people believe this is an issue over whether marijuana is good or bad when its really about the punishment. Everybody is saying "it's the law, it's law, it's the law" right, but so is speeding. Are those same people saying a person speeding 5mph over the limit should be punished the same as someone speeding 40mph over the limit?

Marcos

One should take the issue seriously and take the plunge! Legalize the sale also so that those who buy marijuana not need to go to the drug dealers who also sell hard drugs, which are both youths and tease intruducerad to clean deadly drugs such as Crack Cocain and more. At the legalization so one might have a limit of 18 years to buy, and that those who are under 18 years who holds marijuana and am taken with this will be reported to the social services. Sale of marijuana could be taxed as cigarette or otherwise. It could give up millions in tax revenues, so also is marijuana a defensive drug, while alcohol is s an aggressive drug that is often violence-related ... while marijuana have a totally opposite effect, at a legalization so would the number of young people who start with hard drugs decline, it's just to look at states in from other countries.

Stefan
Brooklyn

Let's give it a try, Cuomo is working at lowering penalties on something most Americans have inhaled. It's hypocritical to say that kids don't already try marijuana. It's up to parents to teach their kids to be responsible.

David
Woodhaven

If the police would stop and frisk in white neighborhoods then everyone would be crying out for this law. If stop and frisk was equally enforced to black and whites then I WOULD SAY NO THE proposed MARIJUANA LAW. Why should black boys be the only criminals?

Page

The real question should be about whether or not the stop was justified. And controlling the circumstances in which the stop can be done. The NYPD has made great efforts to do this but there will always be over zealous cops who will be able to articulate and justify the reason for the stop. The trick is for the cops to adhere to a set procedure and their supervisors see that they do.

I agree with the governor it's hardly public view if the officer made you take it out. I hardly believe that the spirit of the law. Yet isn't it sort of important that the guy who gets found holding during a stop and frisk was breaking the law by having it?

Maybe it's time to legalize it tax it and control it's quality. Marijuana was legal in this country in the early 1900's. I'd also like to remind people of how many soldiers come back from war using drugs. I'm with the governor on the marijuana but I still think he needs to control the reason for the stop.

Anonymous

I don't agree with gov Cuomo preposition, this is a drug that is not good for people he should worry about crating jobs.

narodre

Great Idea to address stop and frisk and NY should legalize and tax it already

Will

Why are viewers so appalled at the potential legalization of marijuana? If alcohol can be legalized, then so can marijuana. What is the difference? It appears alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana. I believe this will not decrease the stop and frisk numbers, just the actual arrest of the youth. Stop and frisks will only stop when quotas are outlawed!

Peaches
Harlem

What's with the sanctimonious, self-righteous, holier than thou attitude? Pot doesn't rape women, molest children or kill people. Let the police and criminal justice system spend their time, money and resources on real crime. Crime that affects all New Yorkers.

Pamela
Upper East Side

As the saying goes, “Stupid is as stupid does.” If you’re stupid enough to break the law and carry MJ, then you’re stupid enough to go to jail. Stop & Frisk is done mostly in the high crime areas, so it works. Maybe if all the moms & dads in NY would search their houses for drugs, guns, and other lawbreaking instruments and get rid of them, they’d be a heck of a lot less crime, but they just complain and cry every time one of their kids get shot or overdoses.

Walter,
New Dorp

I agree with the Mayor and it should be a violation, Give New Yorkers that break we deserve to stand together on this.

Gayle
Brooklyn

I believe the change in the marijuana law makes no difference in stop and frisk. I applaud the governor for finally looking at an issue that has been lingering but the true problem is racial profiling. Young adults of color in NYC deal with police more than violent criminals.

Mike

One day when voters have a voice in government marijuana will be legal.

Jeff in the LES

I think it is positive in that it decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana, but I feel that stop and frisk is wrong and that needs to stop.

Maria

Everyone seems to be missing the point,stop and frisk is in place to get the weapons off the streets. I don't agree with it but i can't seem to stop from thinking how many lives its saved. So I think Cuomo is right.

James

I Just wanted to say that I totally support Cuomo's idea. People who don't are simply naive and don't live in reality. THE REALITY IS minorities are constantly stopped by the police and harassed for no reason. My brother, a hardworking law-abiding citizen is one of them. I am sick and tired of people making a big deal about marijuana. It's IMPOSSIBLE to over dose from it. The only side effects are a big appetite and laziness. Alcohol kills people every day and you can over dose from it. Cigarettes cause cancer and other diseases such as emphezema. People who feel so strongly about keeping marijuana legal and punishing those who are found with just small amount, are dillusional. This is definitely a step in the right direction.

Miko
Inwood

i agree being a victim of the corrupt nypd..i was stopped and forced to empty my pockets and was wrongfully arrested november in queens....for 20 bucks worth of pot not in public view..marijuana is a less of a drug then alcohol and ciggarettes so that argument is a dead end..but for the safety of us new yorkers cuomo is doing the right thing..atleast no more young black kids will be shot in there homes as what happened last month.

eric