Lawmakers are back at work in Albany trying to come up with ways to plug the state's massive pandemic-worsened budget hole – one of the options they're considering is legalizing recreational marijuana.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says with some neighboring states legalizing it, it's time for New York to do the same.

Supporters of the move say it's hard to ignore the estimated $300 million in tax revenues the state would get, offsetting losses caused by the pandemic. Opponents, including those from the drug addiction field, say it's hard to ignore the increasing drug and alcohol abuse caused by the pandemic.

“We believe there's three answers to every question: Yes, no and not yet. We believe this is a not yet,” says Steve Chassman, of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

He says the legalization of marijuana coupled with legalized gambling are “life-destroying illnesses.”

Some lawmakers raised other issues, such as driving while high.

“We need to make sure that officers are able to detect whether someone is driving under the influence,” says state Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach). “We need to make sure people know it's unsafe to drive under the influence, and we need a court system too that's able to handle evidence of all of that.”

Twenty-one would be the minimum legal age to buy marijuana under the proposal. The state would also help entrepreneurs in minority areas get licenses for the production and marketing of marijuana.

The marijuana bill is part of the proposed state budget, which legislators won't vote on until the end of March.