Directs the commissioner of health to establish a cannabis awareness program for youths age eighteen and younger designed to educate about the effects and risks associated with cannabis use, including that it is illegal for persons under the age of twenty-one.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4974
SPONSOR: Zinerman TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to directing the
commissioner of health to establish a cannabis awareness program for
youths age eighteen and younger
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
To ensure that those under 18 are fully informed and empowered with
information on the effects and risks associated with cannabis.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 provides for the establishment of a cannabis awareness program
for youths age eighteen and younger.
Section 2 sets forth an immediate effective date.
JUSTIFICATION::
It is currently illegal for anyone under 21 to buy, possess or consume
adult-use cannabis in New York State. However, many under age 21 still
encounter cannabis in their daily life-directly or through advertising.
It is imperative that they also receive age-appropriate information from
trusted sources in an educational setting. This bill will provide for
that.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2023-2024: A9316-B (Zinerman) Died in Committee
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS::
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4974
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZINERMAN, WOERNER, HEVESI, JACKSON, CONRAD,
GLICK, HYNDMAN, GIBBS, CUNNINGHAM, LUCAS, DAVILA -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to directing the
commissioner of health to establish a cannabis awareness program for
youths age eighteen and younger
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a
2 new subdivision 32 to read as follows:
3 32. The commissioner shall, in consultation and collaboration with the
4 executive director of the office of cannabis management, establish and
5 develop a cannabis awareness program within the department. Such program
6 shall be designed to educate youths age eighteen and younger about the
7 effects and risks associated with cannabis use, including that it is
8 illegal for persons under the age of twenty-one. Such program shall
9 include, but not be limited to, the creation of age-appropriate instruc-
10 tional tools and materials and marketing and advertising materials to
11 discourage underage cannabis use.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09015-01-5
