Massachusetts Might not Legalize this November

Each person that has kept up with Massachusetts’s politics has been hearing the same thing for quite some time now: the marijuana ballot this November is going to pass and that those trying to fight legalization are just wasting their time. But that may not be the case.

A new poll from Suffolk University/Boston Globe reveals that voters are almost split on the question, with a slight inclination towards prohibition. According to the study, forty-six percent of voters prefer prohibition, while only forty-three percent support legalization. Since Massachusetts decriminalized marijuana and already legalized it for medical uses, not many people see a point in taking it a step further.

And in all honesty, one can see why they are uncomfortable with legalization. It is unreasonable for someone to be against decriminalization; having a bit of marijuana shouldn’t result in jail-time. And as for medical marijuana, of course, people suffering from awful conditions should undergo whatever means necessary to help them feel better.

However, what is the incentive towards legalizing recreational marijuana besides some people getting high? Someone of a group advocating for the legalization of recreational marijuana said that he was not at all shocked by the poll.

“We never had any illusions that this would be an easy battle,” Jim Borghesani of The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s always going to be an uphill battle.”

The arguments for legalizing recreational marijuana are ones that we have all heard before. Cannabis would be restricted, which would ensure the safety and quality of the product. Also, it can be taxed, and the black market will be brought to an end. In addition, marijuana is less if not equally as dangerous as alcohol. Still, these do not necessarily indicate whether or not legalizing recreational marijuana is going to make things better for the state or the lives of citizens living in the state.