Pubdate: Wed, 19 Aug 2015
Source: Valley Advocate (Easthampton, MA)
Contact:  2015 New Mass Media
Website: http://www.valleyadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1520
Author: Hunter Styles

A NEW PUSH FOR MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

On Aug. 5, the marijuana legalization group Bay State Repeal filed 
three versions of a new ballot question with the state Attorney 
General's office, all of which would allow persons 21 years of age or 
older to legally grow, acquire, and possess marijuana for personal consumption.

The purpose of the initiative is to establish moderate taxes and 
regulations on marijuana so that, over time, legal sales would drive 
out illegal sales, said Steven Epstein, the group's press secretary. 
The proposed legislation, he said, "treats farmers like farmers, 
treats private producers like processors of food - subject to local 
and state zoning and health rules - and sets the same rules for 
dealers that apply to tobacconists."

If the wording of one or more versions of the law are approved, Bay 
State Repeal will have until November 18 to collect no fewer than 
64,750 signatures on the preferred version. If that petition is 
successful, a bill will be introduced in the legislature on the first 
Wednesday of January.

Two versions of the law - entered as petitions 15-23 and 15-24 by the 
Attorney General's office - additionally would allow for commerce in 
marijuana, possibly including licensing for cafes, clubs, and farmers markets.

The third version, petition 15-25, would not allow for commerce, and 
is modeled more closely on the 1930s initiative that repealed the 
state's prohibition on the production of alcoholic beverages, Epstein said.

Setting a low sales tax and less severe restrictions on home 
cultivation would help to drive out the black market, help small 
farms, cut down on corruption and profiteering, and keep non-medical 
marijuana out of the hands of minors, Epstein said. "We want these 
businesses subject to the same rules as any other business in the 
commonwealth."

Bay State Repeal was founded in September 2014. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom