Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Back in November, the state of Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational cannabis, sparking celebrations from tokers across the northeastern region. However, lawmakers have struggled to construct these regulations, leading to a hot mess of legislative changes, missed deadlines, and potential delays for the Bay State’s recreational market.
Last month, it seemed as if state policymakers had finally agreed on a compromise bill, sending the rewrite to the desk of Governor Charlie Baker. But, despite the state’s attempt to restructure the voter-approved legislation to meet the concerns of lawmakers, the newly proposed recreational cannabis rewrite is still meeting opposition. Massachusetts Rep. Diana DiZolgio is urging the governor to veto the impending bill because she feels that it doesn’t allocate enough tax revenue towards substance abuse issues.
While her concerns certainly seem valid, DiZolgio’s objections come at a critical time for policymakers and the regulatory structure for cannabis laws. As retail pot shops are poised to open in July of 2018, the state is facing a quickly closing legislative window to come to an agreement.
The compromise bill was…
