Lawmakers are proposing to rewrite large portions of the marijuana legalization law in Massachusetts, sparking outrage from activists who say officials are ignoring the popular will.
Voters in the state legalized marijuana for recreational use Election Day through a popular ballot, which laid out an outline of the rules and regulations that will govern the industry. Lawmakers are already significantly delaying the roll out of the marijuana law in Massachusetts, voting Dec. 28 to bar commercial sale for an additional six months despite the popular ballot vote.
Senate President Stanley Rosenberg is now threatening to hike the tax on weed, lower the limit on household possession and rewrite the restrictions governing the purchase and sale of the substance, reports The Boston Globe.
Activists fear the will of voters is being trampled through what they claim is unprecedented action from the state legislature. Rosenberg however is largely an ally of legalization activists, and argues the law needs tinkering to ensure successful implementation.
“When I met with the advocates in my office,” Rosenberg told The Boston Globe. “I assured them that the Legislature will respect the will of the voters who legalized recreational marijuana on Nov. 8.”
Supporters of the ballot are also critical of State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who is tasked with appointing members to the Cannabis Control Commission by March 2017, so they can begin constructing a regulatory framework for commercial sale. They argue the decision to delay commercial sale for six months violates the rules set forth in the ballot, which specified state officials had until Jan. 1, 2018 to establish a regulatory structure for pot shops.
“I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit still,” Michael Cutler, a lawyer who worked on writing the ballot, told The Boston Globe. “People like Senate President Rosenberg, whose hometown voted for this ballot question at a 75 percent rate, need to talk to their constituents.”
The decision by lawmakers leaves Massachusetts marijuana law in limbo for the next 18 months. It will be illegal to sell up to an ounce of marijuana, but it will be legal to purchase it, creating a degree of legal confusion among users and state police.
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