NEW YORK: Governor Cuomo To Push For Decriminalization Of Marijuana

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will today ask the state legislature to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The move is meant to thwart the NYPD's stop-and-frisk policy, which has been shown to overwhelmingly target black and Latino men.

Reducing the impact of the Bloomberg administration’s stop-and-frisk policy has been a top priority of lawmakers from minority neighborhoods, who have urged Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, to pay more attention to the needs of their communities. The lawmakers argue that young men found with small amounts of marijuana are being needlessly funneled into the criminal justice system and have difficulty finding jobs as a result. By deciding to get involved in the biggest law enforcement issue roiling New York City, Mr. Cuomo is again inserting himself into the affairs of the city in a way that has been welcomed by some and resented by others. He previously brokered the resolution of a dispute over legalizing street hails of livery cabs, and he ordered the city to stop requiring that food stamp applicants be fingerprinted.

Bloomberg is NOT going to be happy about this.