Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesIn 2021, New York State legalized recreational marijuana, a longstanding goal of many lawmakers.
Several teachers told The Times of kids taking out vape pens when their backs are turned to the students, as well as bathrooms and stairwells that smell of marijuana. "It really feels like this unstoppable tide that we're futilely trying to suppress," America Billy, a public high school in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, told the newspaper, adding that she couldn't tell if a student was lethargic because of sleep deprivation, personal issues at home, or potentially drugs.Gale Brewer, a New York City council member, pointed to the growing number of unregulated vape shops in the city — using her own Upper West Side district as a barometer.