The smell of burnt and unburnt marijuana alone is no longer cause for New York Police Department officers to search vehicles, according a new NYPD memorandum.

The memo laying out changes in police procedure comes after the New York legalized recreational marijuana for adults on Wednesday.

Under the new policy, officers can only search vehicles if a driver appears to be under the influence of marijuana and there is probable cause to believe that they have been smoking it, or if the driver is seen smoking or vaping marijuana while operating or inside a vehicle.

“However, the trunk may not be searched unless the officer develops separate probable cause to believe the trunk contains evidence of a crime,” reads the memo.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)