New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said legalizing marijuana is one of his top legislative priorities for 2019. It's a stark reversal of his previous position. He called marijuana a "gateway drug" as recently as February 2017. The move follows a change in public opinion. Sixty-three percent of New Yorkers favor legalizing marijuana, according to a recent poll. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said legalizing the adult use of marijuana is one of his top legislative priorities for next year.