New York eyes regional plan for recreational marijuana, vaping with New Jersey and Connecticut

ALBANY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo is looking to strike a deal with Connecticut and New Jersey on how to proceed with legalizing recreational marijuana and cracking down on the dangers of vaping.

Cuomo said this week he plans to meet with fellow Democratic Govs. Ned Lamont of Connecticut and Phil Murphy of New Jersey to discuss ways they can develop a regional approach on the issues.

That started Wednesday when Cuomo traveled to Hartford to meet with Lamont, the second time in recent weeks the neighboring governors have spent time together. Lamont went on a fishing tour with Cuomo on Lake Ontario last month.

"Why wouldn’t New York and Connecticut work together? We’re neighbors. We have the same problems. We have a common border," Cuomo said at the Connecticut governor's mansion.

"We’re better together than we are separate. It makes all the sense in the world for us to work together."

Why the states are working together?

As illnesses related to vaping pile up across the country, the states are considering various bans on e-cigarettes. Cuomo earlier this month banned the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes in New York through an emergency executive action.

Meanwhile, the states are all considering whether to legalize marijuana. Neighboring Massachusetts has done so, but efforts to legalize adult use of marijuana failed in the New York and New Jersey legislatures.

Cuomo said the goals of the meetings will be to find a way the tri-state area can collectively reach compromise on how to both address the health concerns with vaping and develop laws on legalizing marijuana.

Cuomo announced he would hold a summit among the Northeast states and their leaders Oct. 17 to discuss the issues.

Lamont told reporters that he and Cuomo agreed that states need to work together more often because of gridlock and partisanship in Washington.

"The states are stepping in and filling a void left by the federal government, and that’s why we are taking the lead on a lot of these issues," he said.

Murphy's office said the governor "is open to collaborating with regional partners on these issues."

Next steps

Cuomo on WAMC radio in Albany said Wednesday afternoon said he would like to develop new policies on marijuana and vaping in his State of the State address in January. So he would like to have a deal with the neighboring states too.

He said without a regional policy, residents of the states will just drive to where it is legal, creating health and enforcement issues for the entire region.

"So in concept, many people agree on the legalization of recreational marijuana, but like in many cases the devil’s going to be in the details," Cuomo said.

"And how you do it will determine the success of the program. And doing that collectively and regionally makes sense."

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