Nassau lawmakers vote to opt out if NY makes pot sales legal

Nassau County lawmakers on Monday unanimously voted to opt out if Albany passes a law legalizing the sale of recreational marijuana in New York.

The full Legislature voted against the sale of adult-use marijuana within county lines.

Nassau's Rules and Health and Social Services committees previously voted against legal pot sales. The county's Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation released a report recommending an opt-out, citing a series of public safety and health concerns.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, as well as her Suffolk counterpart, also expressed a desire to opt out.

Doug Greene, of Empire State NORML, says Nassau will lose out on tax revenue and that many people will likely drive into Queens or other parts of New York City to buy marijuana, since he says the city "definitely" won't opt out.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has pushed state lawmakers to legalize marijuana, but they're yet to do so.