Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Anyone looking for somebody to lead the fight against legalizing marijuana in Massachusetts need look no further than Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.
Walsh, himself a recovering alcoholic, told radio station WBZ-AM Monday that making pot legal, in his opinion, would be a "slippery slope."
"Not everyone that smokes marijuana becomes an addict," said Walsh. "But most of the folks that I know that are having issues with drugs started with marijuana."
"I just think it would be a mistake to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts," Walsh told the Boston Globe. "I've seen too many lives ruined by starting to smoke weed and then, eventually, going to other types of drugs."
State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg said Monday he thinks lawmakers should consider putting a nonbinding question on the 2016 ballot asking voters if they would support legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.
He told the Associated Press he's trying to avoid the possibility voters might approve another, perhaps poorly written, ballot question also aimed at legalizing pot.
Two groups have said they hope to put questions on the 2016 ballot aimed at the full legalization of it.
"When you put something as complicated as this is on the ballot, and it gets passed, it comes back to the Legislature with people saying, 'Gee, there are parts of this that don't work,' and then the Legislature is forced into the position of trying to amend the people's law," Rosenberg said.
Four states, including Colorado, currently allow for recreational marijuana use. In 2008, Massachusetts voters adopted a ballot question calling for decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, and in 2012 passed another question allowing its use for medical purposes.
"People are trying to make arguments about drug dealing will be reduced and a whole host of other issues," Walsh told WBZ. "But if you look at what happened in Colorado, drug dealing didn't go down."
He also said he thinks its hypocritical to spend money on anti-smoking campaigns while at the same time calling for the state to allow people to smoke marijuana.
"There are also concerns about smoking," Walsh told WCVB-TV. " I mean people - we're out there fighting the tobacco industry about reducing smoking and now all of a sudden we're going to legalize marijuana. It's another form of smoking.
When asked by the Boston Herald if he ever smoked marijuana, he said he has not.
"I never have, which is amazing. I just never did. At this point, you can admit anything you did," Walsh joked of politicians. "I drank plenty but I never smoked pot."
In 1992, then presidential candidate Bill Clinton became the butt of some jokes when he said he tried marijuana, but "didn't inhale."
"I've never broken a state law," the New York Times quoted him as saying at the time "But when I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn't like it. I didn't inhale it, and never tried it again."
Unlike Clinton, Walsh hasn't experienced any backlash from his pot inhaling denial.
That may well be because as a recovering alcoholic, Walsh is a passionate advocate for those struggling with addition, according to the Globe.
While there may be a significant amount of political risk in opposing a referendum many people think will pass, aides tell the Globe Walsh's position is a matter of conscience.
One adviser said Walsh feels strongly enough about opposing legalization "that he is willing to use his political capital to let people know that he is not in favor of it," the Globe reported.
According to a poll done for radio station WBUR-FM by MassInc Walsh is viewed favorably by about two-thirds of Boston's registered voters.
"The most important thing you need for a ballot question is to introduce emotion into the debate," Steve Crawford, a Democratic strategist who has been involved in a number of state ballot campaigns, told the Globe. "And on this issue, no one has greater credibility than Mayor Walsh, and he is a formidable voice for families struggling with substance abuse."
In addition to Walsh, Gov. Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley have all come out in opposition to the legalization of marijuana. For his part, Rosenberg hasn't said which way he would vote.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Legalize marijuana? Boston Mayor Marty Walsh willing to lead opposition | masslive.com
Author: Dwight B. Shepard
Contact: dshepard@repub.com
Photo Credit: Steven Senne / Associated Press file
Website: Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com
Walsh, himself a recovering alcoholic, told radio station WBZ-AM Monday that making pot legal, in his opinion, would be a "slippery slope."
"Not everyone that smokes marijuana becomes an addict," said Walsh. "But most of the folks that I know that are having issues with drugs started with marijuana."
"I just think it would be a mistake to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts," Walsh told the Boston Globe. "I've seen too many lives ruined by starting to smoke weed and then, eventually, going to other types of drugs."
State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg said Monday he thinks lawmakers should consider putting a nonbinding question on the 2016 ballot asking voters if they would support legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.
He told the Associated Press he's trying to avoid the possibility voters might approve another, perhaps poorly written, ballot question also aimed at legalizing pot.
Two groups have said they hope to put questions on the 2016 ballot aimed at the full legalization of it.
"When you put something as complicated as this is on the ballot, and it gets passed, it comes back to the Legislature with people saying, 'Gee, there are parts of this that don't work,' and then the Legislature is forced into the position of trying to amend the people's law," Rosenberg said.
Four states, including Colorado, currently allow for recreational marijuana use. In 2008, Massachusetts voters adopted a ballot question calling for decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, and in 2012 passed another question allowing its use for medical purposes.
"People are trying to make arguments about drug dealing will be reduced and a whole host of other issues," Walsh told WBZ. "But if you look at what happened in Colorado, drug dealing didn't go down."
He also said he thinks its hypocritical to spend money on anti-smoking campaigns while at the same time calling for the state to allow people to smoke marijuana.
"There are also concerns about smoking," Walsh told WCVB-TV. " I mean people - we're out there fighting the tobacco industry about reducing smoking and now all of a sudden we're going to legalize marijuana. It's another form of smoking.
When asked by the Boston Herald if he ever smoked marijuana, he said he has not.
"I never have, which is amazing. I just never did. At this point, you can admit anything you did," Walsh joked of politicians. "I drank plenty but I never smoked pot."
In 1992, then presidential candidate Bill Clinton became the butt of some jokes when he said he tried marijuana, but "didn't inhale."
"I've never broken a state law," the New York Times quoted him as saying at the time "But when I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn't like it. I didn't inhale it, and never tried it again."
Unlike Clinton, Walsh hasn't experienced any backlash from his pot inhaling denial.
That may well be because as a recovering alcoholic, Walsh is a passionate advocate for those struggling with addition, according to the Globe.
While there may be a significant amount of political risk in opposing a referendum many people think will pass, aides tell the Globe Walsh's position is a matter of conscience.
One adviser said Walsh feels strongly enough about opposing legalization "that he is willing to use his political capital to let people know that he is not in favor of it," the Globe reported.
According to a poll done for radio station WBUR-FM by MassInc Walsh is viewed favorably by about two-thirds of Boston's registered voters.
"The most important thing you need for a ballot question is to introduce emotion into the debate," Steve Crawford, a Democratic strategist who has been involved in a number of state ballot campaigns, told the Globe. "And on this issue, no one has greater credibility than Mayor Walsh, and he is a formidable voice for families struggling with substance abuse."
In addition to Walsh, Gov. Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley have all come out in opposition to the legalization of marijuana. For his part, Rosenberg hasn't said which way he would vote.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Legalize marijuana? Boston Mayor Marty Walsh willing to lead opposition | masslive.com
Author: Dwight B. Shepard
Contact: dshepard@repub.com
Photo Credit: Steven Senne / Associated Press file
Website: Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com
