Family Life

12.07.12 | Sarah Harnisch

The mayor of Ithaca is urging the New York state legislature to legalize marijuana. In an editorial to the Times Union, mayor Svante Myrick says he has "directed the Ithaca police department to focus on other issues that will more effectively protect the public." Myrick says he is not encouraging the use of marijuana; but he believes there are more important issues to focus on than low-level marijuana offenses, such as hard drug dealers and violent crimes. In his editorial, Myrick urges state lawmakers to put aside partisanship and show compassion by legalizing medicinal marijuana. He says he believes legalizing marijuana is an issue that has some bipartisan support in New York and the issue could come to a vote in the legislature as early as next year. Myrick also says the state should consider fully legalized marijuana, even for recreational purposes.