Albany, N.Y. (WHAM) - Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed another marijuana-related initiative as part of his 2017 State of the State plan Wednesday.

The proposal to decriminalize marijuana in New York was found in the 383-page State of the State book on the governor's website.

Under the plan, New York state would remove, "the criminal penalties that too often result in the over-prosecution and jailing of non-violent individuals."

People who possess small amounts of marijuana would not be prosecuted; however, people who sell marijuana would still be arrested and charged.

Gates Police Chief Jim VanBrederode said he has serious concerns about his proposal.

"More people under the influence of any type of substance will generate more calls to the ER, more calls to 9-1-1, more loss of life," VanBrederode told 13WHAM News. "In general, drugs destroys families and neighborhoods, and we live that everyday in law enforcement - the majority of our calls are to people who are under the influence."

He disagrees with Cuomo and said this would cause a public safety concern.

"It will come with consequences and, as a public official, we live with that everyday, and it will come with consequences," VanBrederode continued.

Carrie Lester's husband, Thomas Lester, was arrested for marijuana possession on Sunday.
"On our TV stand, I had a little jar and it was pretty much empty," Lester's husband said. "There was a little dust in there. It really wasn't even worth a mention."

The father of two was arrested for possession because it violated his parole from a DUI charge.

"It overcrowds our system for these stupid crimes that are so petty," Lester said.
According to the proposal, almost 90 percent of marijuana law violations were for possession and not sale. In 2010, New York City spent $75 million to arrest and jail individuals for the possession of mostly small amounts of marijuana.

The proposal adds, "data consistently shows that recreational users of marijuana pose little to no threat to public safety."

Rochester City Councilmember Adam McFadden agrees.

"Jails are overcrowded, prisons are overcrowded because our lack of drug policy that makes sense," McFadden said Thursday.

Current medical marijuana laws in New York state are among the most strictly regulated in the U.S. Last month, New York added chronic pain as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana.

This story is from our news partners at 13WHAM