New York Lawmakers Reach a Deal to Legalize Recreational Marijuana for Adults

New York state lawmakers and officials finalized a deal Thursday to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

Albany lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) made a deal to legalize weed for adults 21 and older, the New York Times reported.

The deal would allow the drug to be delivered and create club-style lounges or “consumption sites” where weed, but not alcohol, could be consumed.

It would also allow a person to grow up to six marijuana plants at home for personal use.

But with legalization comes a 13 percent sales tax on the product — 9 percent of which would go to the state and 4 percent which would go to local governments, state Senate Finance Committee Chair Liz Krueger told Bloomberg Government on Wednesday.

There will be no change to taxes for medical marijuana sales, Krueger added.

Despite the deal’s likely approval, it could take up to a year before the first sales of legal marijuana happen.

The governor’s office had estimated in the past that legal marijuana could generate $350 million per year in tax revenue.

New York is following the lead of its neighboring state, New Jersey, which legalized marijuana for adult use and decriminalized possession of the drug in small amounts in February.