Cynthia Nixon, the actor who announced in March she will challenge New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, told attendees at a private fundraiser last week that she supports legalizing cannabis for adult use, the New York Times reports. According to Isabel Gillies, a writer and former actress who hosted the fundraiser for the Democratic challenger, said Nixon would “legalize marijuana and put a tax on it” if elected.
Dan Davenport, an editor and writer who also attended the event said that she was “very exuberant” about legalizing cannabis as a revenue generator.
Cuomo, a Democrat, has long opposed cannabis legalization for recreational use. Previously, Cuomo called cannabis a “gateway drug” and said he was “unconvinced on recreational marijuana.”
In January, Cuomo called on lawmakers to approve funding for a recreational cannabis feasibility study. Robert Mujica, the governor’s budget director, cited legalization in Massachusetts and Vermont as the impetus for the study.
A Republican gubernatorial hopeful also supports legalization. Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra indicated he would support legalization as a way to address the state’s infrastructure problems.
Nixon has been a longtime education advocate in New York and legalization. In Colorado, taxes and fees from legal cannabis sales are partly used for education funding. According to a 2017 report from VS Strategies, 51.3 percent of the $506.1 million raised from the industry at the time was used for K-12 education, including $117.9 million for school construction projects, and $5.7 million for the Public School Fund. In Nevada, the state had collected $6.5 million from cannabis industry licensing and application fees as of Sept. 2017, which, after administrative costs, is used for public education funding.
Her campaign has not commented on the report.
Get daily cannabis business news updates. Subscribe
End