Rachel Silberstein is reporting for the Times Union the New York State Assembly will hold four public hearings this fall on the authorization of adult marijuana use. The Assembly will seek input from the public on proposals to create a regulated marijuana market and also learn from other states that have legalized the drug. New York has lagged behind neighboring states on the issue. Vermont and Massachusetts recently legalized the drug and New Jersey is expected to do so in the near future. Gov. Andrew N. Cuomo announced in August he would assemble a working group to explore the issue after a state Health Department report concluded that the positive impacts of a regulated marijuana market in New York outweigh the potential negative impacts. The hearings follow a well-attended Assembly hearing on the topic earlier this year. Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes has sponsored a bill to authorize, regulate and tax the adult use of marijuana statewide. Read the full story in the Times Union.