Landon Dais featured on Fox 5 News discussing Gov. Cuomo's Marijuana Legalization Commitment

Dais, speaks to the economic opportunity marijuana legalization presents for New York state. Specifically, the Governor has an opportunity to pass meaningful and impactful marijuana legislation in a way other states have failed, thus making the New York model, the model for the country. Necessarily, the Governor must put in place measures to ensure the majority of licenses go to small and medium-sized businesses. The mandate should focus on communities negatively impacted by the war on drugs. The New York program must have the largest number of African-American and Latino owners because currently, minorities represent less than 5% of cannabis companies in the country. The lack of diversity in cannabis is a travesty, especially when compared to the number of Black and Latino Americans who are arrested for marijuana compared to White Americans. Governor Cuomo has a lot of pressure from Assembly Speaker Carl Hesastie, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal People-Stokes, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewert-Cousins, to ensure they create a program that exceeds minority participation in other states. Sen. Kevin Parker and Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright have been leading the charge for the Black Caucus to ensure the governor adheres to their demands.

Additionally, with marijuana legalization, the industry has more economic potential than the famous, now defunct, Amazon deal. Marijuana legalization has the potential to create over 40,000 jobs and create over 3 billion in economic impact to the state. The governor has a rare win-win scenario if he can successfully focus a large percentage of marijuana opportunities to urban communities impacted by the War on Drugs, and cultivation jobs in the struggling southern tier to help farmers on the brink.  If executed, it will create tremendous national fanfare for Governor Cuomo.  More importantly, it will help communities that desperately need jobs and economic growth.