A ballot question on whether cannabis could be sold recreationally in Massachusetts cam show up on the November ballot, according to the Supreme Judicial Court in an opinion on Wednesday. But the court also decided that the title and one-sentence statement what a “yes” vote would entail weren’t exactly accurate. They left out the fact that an entire collection of “marijuana products” would be legalized. In addition, the court stated that it should be revised by the Attorney General and Secretary of State offices.
Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants specified that the title should be altered from “Marijuana Legalization,” to “Legalization, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana.” The summary should add that only people 21 or older would be able to have access to cannabis. The mentioning of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, was removed, and edible products were added in. Here is what the new bill reads:
“A YES VOTE would allow persons 21 and older to possess, use, and transfer marijuana and products containing marijuana concentrate (including edible products) and to cultivate marijuana, all in limited amounts, and would provide for the regulation and taxation of the commercial sale of marijuana and marijuana products.”
The issue was not such a big deal that the measure entirely should be removed from the November ballot, Gants added. Earlier this week, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the organization that put the ballot question forward, announced that they had collected more than double the amount of signatures needed to make sure that the question would make it onto the ballot. Campaign spokesman Jim Borghesani said that the title alteration ordered by the SJC “accurately reflects the intent of our initiative.”
“The Court issued a victory for the voters of Massachusetts today, assuring that their voices will be heard on the issue of legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana, an approach that is working in Colorado and other states and will work in Massachusetts,” Borghesani added.
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