Pubdate: Fri, 23 Jan 2015
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2015 Globe Newspaper Company
Contact: http://services.bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340
Website: http://bostonglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52
Author: David Scharfenberg

BAKER STAUNCH IN OPPOSITION TO LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

But Governor Still Sees Value in Review by State Senate

With marijuana legalization advocates considering a ballot measure 
campaign in Massachusetts in 2016, Governor Charlie Baker said 
Thursday that he is "going to always be opposed to legalizing" 
recreational use of the drug.

Baker, though, did express some interest in tracking experiments with 
legalization in other parts of the country.

"I think the big issue is the real-life, real-world experience of 
Colorado," he said.

Baker, a Republican, also praised Democratic Senate President Stanley 
Rosenberg's decision to create a special Senate committee that will 
examine the issues surrounding legalization of the drug.

The committee, to be chaired by Senator Jason Lewis of Winchester, 
will also look at the troubled implementation of Massachusetts' 
existing medical marijuana law.

Rosenberg has not taken a position on legalization. But his 
spokesman, Pete Wilson, said the Senate president believes "more 
information is better," especially with a possible ballot measure looming.

"Rather than be reactive, we're trying to be proactive," said Wilson.

Legalizing a drug that is still illegal under federal law creates a 
host of issues. For one, banks have been unwilling to touch money 
linked to marijuana. And in Colorado, the all-cash industry has 
raised concerns about crime and corruption.

Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado is pushing for a 
state-chartered marijuana credit union to alleviate some of the worries.

National marijuana advocates view Massachusetts as a prime 
opportunity for expanding on the collection of four states - Alaska, 
Colorado, Oregon, and Washington - where voters have legalized 
possession of limited amounts of the drug for recreational use.

Proponents have zeroed in on the 2016 ballot because a 
presidential-year election generally draws a younger, more diverse 
electorate more inclined to liberalize marijuana laws.

Baker has consistently voiced his opposition to legalization, saying 
during the gubernatorial campaign that he would "vigorously" oppose it.

He has raised concerns, among other things, about marijuana's impact 
on young people.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom