Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Wednesday night, Bill H3768 was passed in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and if enacted as law, will significantly modify the ballot question voters approved last November.
The amended bill was passed in landslide fashion, winning approval in the House by a final tally of 126-28. A less drastically revised version of the original legalization bill is due to be voted on in the Massachusetts Senate today. Critics of the House bill claim that it goes against the voters’ wishes in a number of key areas, including diversity-driven provisions, the tax rate on sales, and a local government’s ability to ban the legal market from entering their city or town.
“This bill is wrong on taxes, wrong on local control, weak on social justice, and irresponsible on regulatory efficiency. Our hope is that the Senate bill prevails in the coming conference committee,” contested Jim Borghesani of pro-legalization group Marijuana Policy Project.
Leading up to the House vote, minority lawmakers were not pleased with the bill’s lack of language safeguarding opportunities in the burgeoning legal market for communities and individuals affected most deeply by the War on…
