AP Exclusive: Liu Calls for Legalized Pot in NYC New York City Comptroller John Liu is calling for a historic change to the city's marijuana laws. Liu is proposing legalizing medicinal marijuana and allowing adults to possess up to an ounce of pot. He believes the sweeping change would pump more than $400 million into the city's coffers thanks to taxes and fees placed on drug sales. The mayoral candidate told the Associated Press Tuesday he believes the decriminalization of small amounts of pot would also be "socially just" for blacks and Latinos, who make up the majority of people arrested for marijuana possession. But the measure could face stiff opposition. It needs the support of state lawmakers to pass, and Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republicans who share control of the state senate have opposed marijuana decriminalization.