Indopedia All Things Marijuana
This Wednesday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a controversial bill that makes significant changes to the voter-approved recreational legalization measure approved by voters last November. The bill was proposed last week, but was kicked back to committee after cannabis advocates expressed their outrage over numerous elements of the new bill. Several amendments were added to address some of these concerns, and the House passed the bill with a 126-to-28 vote.
“From day one, in all of our efforts, the overarching theme has been getting this right for the Commonwealth,” Representative Mark J. Cusack, House chairman of the Legislature’s committee on marijuana, said. “It is often said that you cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and what you have before you is a good omnibus bill that works for the consumers and the industry, but, more importantly, the people of the Commonwealth.”
One of the most controversial aspects of the bill remains intact, namely an increase of the total cannabis tax rate to 28%, a significant increase from the voter-approved 12%. However, other controversial aspects have been addressed by amendments. The…
