NY favors felons, snubs disabled veterans in awarding of pot licenses: critics

Advocates say Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration is discriminating against disabled military vets by prioritizing convicted drug felons when awarding licenses to sell marijuana — and possibly violating the very law that legalized the sale of cannabis in New York.

Lawmakers, meanwhile, are going to bat for the disabled vets, including state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), who chairs the legislative body’s committee that oversees veterans services.

“We are concerned that the OCM is not following the MRTA as it is written,” Scarcella-Spanton said in a draft letter to Hochul that was being circulated among state senators.

Scarcella-Spanton said the law does not specify that formerly incarcerated individuals with pot convictions would “receive the right to apply [for cannabis licenses] before everyone else.”

She urged Hochul to open up the pool of applicants to include disabled vets and cancel the special program that licenses only those previously convicted of pot offenses.

“Those who have sacrificed to serve their country — especially those who have been injured because of their services or other worthy social equity groups — are currently being overlooked,” Scarcella-Spanton said.

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