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Morel Guy said:
NY has very strict cannabis laws.

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New York is getting closer to legal marijuana.

On July 13, the state Health Department issued a report recommending legalization of the drug, and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo suggested that it was not a question of if, but when legalization would happen in New York.

The move followed a change in policy in New York City. In June, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would hand out tickets to some people caught smoking pot instead of arresting them.

But before New Yorkers break out their gummies and vape pens, here’s an explainer on what’s changing and when.

How illegal is marijuana in New York City, really?
Despite what you might smell on the streets, it’s still illegal. Marijuana possession and use in most cases are still outlawed under both federal and state law.

So what’s changing?
Beginning on Sept. 1, the New York Police Department will begin issuing tickets for people who smoke weed in public instead of arresting them. They can still be arrested, however, if they have an open arrest warrant, are on parole or probation, don’t have identification, have been convicted of a violent crime, or are considered a threat to the public — like those caught smoking behind the wheel of a car.

What are these tickets?
The tickets are criminal court summonses, which means you have to show up in court and issue a plea. Fines are up to judges. But as an example, on a first offense, a summons for unlawful possession of a small amount of marijuana can mean a fine of up to $100. That charge is technically a violation, not a crime, so the summons would be sealed at the end of the case, a court official said.

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Konyap said:
everything in NY is a felony except cultivation
but the cops aren't supposed to arrest you unless you're in a car or something

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