(Bloomberg) -- New York police may soon have cannabis removed from their oversight.

Axel Bernabe, assistant counsel to Governor Andrew Cuomo, said at last week’s Prohibition Partners conference that he’d recommend alternatives such as using social workers when coordinating with the state’s nascent Cannabis Control Board, which will soon lay out a framework for legalized recreational marijuana. New York State recently decided to allow recreational use and the board will soon decide on the details.

“The interaction of law enforcement with individuals around drugs is a big, big part of the bill,” Bernabe said of the state’s new legislation, under which recreational sales are expected in about a year. Bernabe said he thought that other states’ use of social case workers to enforce rules for legal, licensed cannabis businesses is a good idea. He also questioned who would deal with cannabis-related street crimes, such as the selling of unlicensed, black-market marijuana.

“Who’s going to interact with folks on the street, or folks that are selling illicitly?” Bernabe said. “Do we want law enforcement to do it? Is it a new form of law enforcement?”

New York’s dilemma on how to reform is playing out across the U.S. as local governments start to re-think criminal justice systems that disproportionately incarcerate Black men for marijuana possession. These policy decisions could determine how much interaction minorities like Black people have with police.

Efforts to rework how law enforcement deals with cannabis must also be balanced with how to combat the illegal market, which often still involves criminal groups, and the sale of other drugs like cocaine or heroin.

Underage cannabis use is another issue that policy makers are grappling with. It’s expected that fines will be used to deter those under age 21 from using marijuana. But Bernabe asks: “Who’s going to administer that fine?”

The New York City Police Department said new marijuana laws have created “sweeping changes” to its enforcement of marijuana offenses. A spokesperson detailed key changes to the law, but didn’t comment specifically on the idea that other authorities might police cannabis. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency declined to comment.

Bernabe’s fellow panelist was Emily Galvin Almanza, a founder of the Partners for Justice advocacy group that helps low-income people navigate the legal system. She said that there’s a conversation around whether to use social workers, mental health professionals or community members who are trained to defuse confrontations.

Bernabe said some states have turned to former law enforcement officers to oversee licensed cannabis operations, but there’s a growing sense that among experts that this may not be the best option.

“They found that relying on human services, on the mental health professionals, on former social case workers” was better. “I thought that was a brilliant idea. That’s something we’ll take to heart and recommend to the board,” he said.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

  • 56%: The proportion of 55 CBD pet products that were found to have inaccurate claims on their labels, according to a study from LeafReport.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“How do we step back and develop a regulatory agency that really is disconnected from law enforcement? And what is the appropriate role for armed law enforcement in those still high-risk and dangerous spaces that do unfortunately still occur?” said Kelly McMillin, chief compliance officer for Lowell Farms Inc. and a retired police officer, during the Prohibition Partners event.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, a U.K. prescription drug company that counts rapper Snoop Dogg among investors, fluctuated in its market debut.
  • Montana’s governor signed a law revising marijuana laws to clarify tax levels.
  • Alabama’s governor signed a law establishing licensing fees, taxes and clarifying that a dispensaries can’t operate in a county or municipality that hasn’t authorized such sites.
  • Mississippi Supreme Court reversed a voter initiative that would have allowed the use of medical marijuana.
  • Canopy Growth Corp. expanded its relationship with Martha Stewart, adding her as its official strategic advisor to work on product innovation and strategic partnerships.
  • ORG Technology, a Beijing-based maker of beverage packaging, signed an agreement with Yunnan Industrial Cannabis Investment Co. to produce and sell cannabis ingredients in drinks.

EVENTS

MONDAY 5/24

  • Jushi Holdings Inc. reports fourth-quarter earnings before the market opens.

TUESDAY 5/25

  • TILT Holdings Inc. reports first-quarter earnings after the market closes.

WEDNESDAY 5/26

  • EnWave Corp. reports second-quarter earnings after the market closes.
  • Ayr Wellness reports first-quarter earnings after the market closes

THURSDAY 5/27

  • Cresco Labs reports first-quarter earnings before the market opens.
  • Planet 13 Holdings Inc. reports first-quarter earnings after the market closes.

FRIDAY 5/28

  • Khiron Life Sciences reports first-quarter earnings before the market opens.

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