In a bit of delayed justice, the state of New York has announced a policy to give priority for dispensary licenses for newly-legal marijuana to people who have previously convicted of marijuana-related charges, Reuters reports.
“The regulations advanced by the Cannabis Control Board today will prioritize local farmers and entrepreneurs, creating jobs and opportunity for communities that have been left out and left behind,” Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
In approving the measure, lawmakers noted that people convicted of possession crimes were not just jailed and fined, they were banned from receiving federal student aid and they were excluded from many jobs. The goal is to have people who were punished to get the licenses and then hire others in a similar situation.