Pubdate: Fri, 16 Nov 2012
Source: Salem News (MA)
Copyright: 2012 Eagle Tribune Publishing Company
Contact: http://www.salemnews.com/contactus/local_story_015132129.html
Website: http://www.salemnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3466
Author: Steven S. Epstein

AFTER MARIJUANA VOTE, 3 QUESTIONS FOR LEADERS

To the editor:

The Election Day poll of the 142,652 voters in the 8th Essex House, 
22nd Middlesex House, and the 1st Essex and Middlesex Senate District 
found that slightly more than 54 percent want Congress to repeal the 
federal prohibition of marijuana. Only 32.5 percent opposed repeal, 
and 13 percent had no opinion or refused to answer by blanking the 
ballot. Slightly more than 60 percent of the same voters favored 
Question 3, while slightly less than 36 percent opposed it and only 4 
percent blanked the ballot.

These numbers demonstrate that the voters of the 6th Congressional 
District, and by reasonable inference all of Massachusetts, reject 
the prohibition that never should have been. They also suggest three questions.

The first is will Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-22nd Middlesex), Rep. Lori 
Ehrlich (D-8th Essex) and Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-1st Essex and 
Middlesex), and the eight representatives with whom Tarr shares at 
least one precinct, sponsor the resolution and work to get it passed 
by both chambers of the General Court?

The second is will John Tierney, who squeaked by with a plurality of 
the vote, become a sponsor in the next session of Congress of 
legislation that will end the prohibition? I've already asked him yet 
again and await his reply.

The third is will the General Court and the governor get out front on 
ending the prohibition here in Massachusetts by passing legislation 
establishing Constitutional Cannabis Control before the people do it 
for ourselves, as we did with Question 2 in 2008 and Question 3 this year?

Steven S. Epstein

Georgetown
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom