Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Massachusetts should begin a robust discussion about marijuana policy and regulation right away so to avoid being caught flat-footed if voters approve legalization at the ballot box in 2016.
That was the central message imparted by nearly a dozen speakers at an invitation-only marijuana policy forum sponsored by the UMass-Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences on Saturday.
The day-long event featured a keynote address by Andrew Freedman, the State of Colorado's top marijuana official, who spoke about the "Great Colorado Weed Experiment." Massachusetts, now eying legalization, has the opportunity to learn from Colorado, which opened its first retail recreational marijuana shop in January of 2014, he said.
"You can regulate marijuana like alcohol, and you can do it successfully, especially if you are intentional about it," said Freedman, who was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper, a former pot foe, after Colorado voters in 2012 approved full legalization.
"You can track marijuana from seed to sale, you can put parameters around industry to make sure they're not selling to people under 21, and you can make sure advertisements are responsible," said Freedman. "It can be the give-and-take regulatory system Americans have come to expect from tobacco and alcohol."
Freedman said Massachusetts should not legalize marijuana for the tax revenue, saying it's a "red herring" and a case of the "tail wagging the dog."
The first full year of legalization in Colorado brought in about $63 million in tax revenue, which is expected to grow up to as much as $150 million over time, he said – but within the context of a $26 billion state budget, pot is not a cash cow.
After paying the costs of regulation, and paying for good treatment and prevention programs, there's roughly enough money left to build one school per year. "You're not going to pave your roads and pay your teachers with marijuana tax revenue," he said.
The real questions should be around public safety, public health and youth prevention, said Freedman.
Freedman was introduced by David Buchanan, chairman of the University's Dept. of Health Promotion and Policy, who said without smart policy in place, the marijuana business "could become highly commercialized, just like big tobacco and big pharma."
People are prone to a type of "magical thinking" when it comes to legalization, he said, believing "if they don't talk about, it won't happen ... but if we do talk about it, it might encourage them to go ahead and do it." He said it's time to bring the conversation about pot out into the open, and engage in fact-based discussion and debate.
Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, who opposes legalization, spoke of the potential harm to teenagers who might smoke more pot if it were legally available and considered part of normal life.
Speakers at the forum included Matt Simon, New England Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project; Democrat Diane Russell of Maine, a legalization advocate; and Boston attorney Adam Fine, whose law firm specializes in marijuana issues.
Others included Miriam Boeri, a Bentley University sociology professor, Jennifer Whitehill, a public health professor at UMass, and Shayne Lynn, director of the Champlain Valley Dispensary in Vermont.
Northampton attorney Dick Evans, chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in Massachusetts, spoke of his group's efforts to legalize marijuana via the ballot box, as did Terry Franklin, leader of the group Bay State Repeal. Both groups are crafting legislation and say they will seek November 2016 ballot questions.
The afternoon wrapped up with comments by Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, chairman of the Massachusetts Senate Special Committee on Marijuana.
The train is coming down the tracks, said speaker after speaker: over the past five years, twenty-three states have legalized medical marijuana and twelve have decriminalized simple possession. As of 2014, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana, and others are considering it through either legislative means or ballot initiatives.
The current situation fosters disrespect for the law, said Buchanan, because the laws are perceived to be irrational. "The public has grown increasingly skeptical about the war on drugs," he said, while citing a 2013 ACLU report that focused upon racial bias in the enforcement of marijuana laws.
Earlier this month, Senate President Stan Rosenberg suggested that lawmakers might want to craft a nonbinding legalization question for the 2016 ballot so as to avoid a poorly-written law put forth by advocates. Rosenberg, who has declined to say whether he supports recreational marijuana, noted in April that there seems to be "no appetite" within the state legislature to tackle the issue head-on.
The June 13 marijuana policy forum at UMass was organized Risa Silverman from the Office for Public Health Practice and Outreach.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Colorado marijuana czar: Massachusetts should craft pot regulations now
Author: Mary Serreze
Contact: mserreze@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Ceres Police Department
Website: Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com
That was the central message imparted by nearly a dozen speakers at an invitation-only marijuana policy forum sponsored by the UMass-Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences on Saturday.
The day-long event featured a keynote address by Andrew Freedman, the State of Colorado's top marijuana official, who spoke about the "Great Colorado Weed Experiment." Massachusetts, now eying legalization, has the opportunity to learn from Colorado, which opened its first retail recreational marijuana shop in January of 2014, he said.
"You can regulate marijuana like alcohol, and you can do it successfully, especially if you are intentional about it," said Freedman, who was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper, a former pot foe, after Colorado voters in 2012 approved full legalization.
"You can track marijuana from seed to sale, you can put parameters around industry to make sure they're not selling to people under 21, and you can make sure advertisements are responsible," said Freedman. "It can be the give-and-take regulatory system Americans have come to expect from tobacco and alcohol."
Freedman said Massachusetts should not legalize marijuana for the tax revenue, saying it's a "red herring" and a case of the "tail wagging the dog."
The first full year of legalization in Colorado brought in about $63 million in tax revenue, which is expected to grow up to as much as $150 million over time, he said – but within the context of a $26 billion state budget, pot is not a cash cow.
After paying the costs of regulation, and paying for good treatment and prevention programs, there's roughly enough money left to build one school per year. "You're not going to pave your roads and pay your teachers with marijuana tax revenue," he said.
The real questions should be around public safety, public health and youth prevention, said Freedman.
Freedman was introduced by David Buchanan, chairman of the University's Dept. of Health Promotion and Policy, who said without smart policy in place, the marijuana business "could become highly commercialized, just like big tobacco and big pharma."
People are prone to a type of "magical thinking" when it comes to legalization, he said, believing "if they don't talk about, it won't happen ... but if we do talk about it, it might encourage them to go ahead and do it." He said it's time to bring the conversation about pot out into the open, and engage in fact-based discussion and debate.
Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, who opposes legalization, spoke of the potential harm to teenagers who might smoke more pot if it were legally available and considered part of normal life.
Speakers at the forum included Matt Simon, New England Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project; Democrat Diane Russell of Maine, a legalization advocate; and Boston attorney Adam Fine, whose law firm specializes in marijuana issues.
Others included Miriam Boeri, a Bentley University sociology professor, Jennifer Whitehill, a public health professor at UMass, and Shayne Lynn, director of the Champlain Valley Dispensary in Vermont.
Northampton attorney Dick Evans, chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in Massachusetts, spoke of his group's efforts to legalize marijuana via the ballot box, as did Terry Franklin, leader of the group Bay State Repeal. Both groups are crafting legislation and say they will seek November 2016 ballot questions.
The afternoon wrapped up with comments by Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, chairman of the Massachusetts Senate Special Committee on Marijuana.
The train is coming down the tracks, said speaker after speaker: over the past five years, twenty-three states have legalized medical marijuana and twelve have decriminalized simple possession. As of 2014, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana, and others are considering it through either legislative means or ballot initiatives.
The current situation fosters disrespect for the law, said Buchanan, because the laws are perceived to be irrational. "The public has grown increasingly skeptical about the war on drugs," he said, while citing a 2013 ACLU report that focused upon racial bias in the enforcement of marijuana laws.
Earlier this month, Senate President Stan Rosenberg suggested that lawmakers might want to craft a nonbinding legalization question for the 2016 ballot so as to avoid a poorly-written law put forth by advocates. Rosenberg, who has declined to say whether he supports recreational marijuana, noted in April that there seems to be "no appetite" within the state legislature to tackle the issue head-on.
The June 13 marijuana policy forum at UMass was organized Risa Silverman from the Office for Public Health Practice and Outreach.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Colorado marijuana czar: Massachusetts should craft pot regulations now
Author: Mary Serreze
Contact: mserreze@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Ceres Police Department
Website: Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com
