Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Legal weed is still safe in Maine, despite a veto last Friday over the state’s latest version of a cannabis legalization bill. When it will go on sale, however, is a more complicated matter.
Gov. Paul LePage vetoed LD 1650, a replace-and-repeal bill that would have scrapped the public ballot measure for adult-use cannabis in Maine — Question 1 — in favor of a new bill crafted by legislators and business lobbyists. LePage’s office released a statement on Friday explaining several reasons for the veto, but all of his justifications boiled down to stalling for more time to “do it right.”
Paul T. McCarrier is the founder of the grassroots organization Legalize Maine. He also co-authored Question 1, building upon legalization bills from other states, but tailoring Question 1 to favor Maine’s local business and taxation interests, rather than those of out-of-state operators. That’s because Question 1 prioritizes business licensing for current registrants in Maine’s medical marijuana program. During a phone interview with MERRY JANE, McCarrier said Legalize Maine actually supports LePage’s veto.
LD 1650 “does something that’s the opposite, in many…
