Massachusetts Will Vote on Legalizing Marijuana With Question 4

Four years after voters passed medical marijuana, Massachusetts might legalize weed outright.

If Massachusetts voters approve Question 4, marijuana will be legal in the state and regulated like alcohol. Adults aged 21 and over would be allowed to have one ounce of weed on them in public and up to 10 ounces at home. The law would also allow for the home grow of six plants per adult, with a limit of 12 plants per household. The law would go into effect on December 15, but businesses licenses would not be issued until October 1, 2017.

Massachusetts citizens seem to be leaning toward legalization, according to a recent poll conducted by Suffolk University and released on Oct. 27, Chris Skakal, a salesman who lives in Boston, said he supports legalization but he'd rather not see people smoking pot in public.

"I understand that people don't want their kids around it, so not in public spaces," Skakal said. "I think it has better effects than alcohol, to be honest, so I don't see why it should be prohibited anymore."

Weed sales in Massachusetts would be subject to the normal 6.25 percent sales tax as well as a 3.75 percent excise tax for an effective tax rate of 10 percent. Cities and towns have the option to levy an additional 2 percent local tax. All of this means that weed in the state will be taxed 10 to12 percent, a rate substantially lower than other states. Medical marijuana would continue to be tax-free, as it is now.

State leaders on both sides of the aisle, including Republican Governor Charlie Baker and Democratic Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, have said that they'd look into a higher tax rate if Question 4 passes.

A report released by ArcView Market Research in March projects the pot industry in Massachusetts to be worth $1.1 billion by 2020. Under that projection, the state and local governments would collect about $100 million in taxes that year from marijuana sales. This money would fund the state's regulation program; any unused funds would be deposited into the general fund. Taxes collected through the two percent local option would go to the local municipality.

The law would also create the Cannabis Control Commission, a three person panel selected by the state treasurer, to regulate the new industry. It would also create a 15-member Cannabis Advisory Board, with members to be appointed by the governor, to advise the Cannabis Control Commission.

Under the new law, all cities and towns in Massachusetts would automatically be opted-in to allowing marijuana businesses. If local governments wanted to keep these businesses out, they would have to hold a special vote to do so.

Critics of Question 4 say that the proposed regulations do not do enough to address people driving while high. That criticism was the focus of a recent ad featuring Reisa Clardy released by the 'No on 4' campaign. Clardy is the widow of Thomas Clardy, a Massachusetts State Police Officer who was killed by a high driver in March.

Some of the state's highest profile politicians have come out against legalization, including Governor Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Attorney General Maura Healey and House Speaker Robert DeLeo.

Meanwhile, Question 4 supporters include Libertarian vice presidential candidate Bill Weld, Boston City Council President Michelle Wu and City Councillor Tito Jackson.

"It just seems ridiculous that kids at Harvard can smoke pot and have incredibly successful careers while blacks and Latinos, particularly men and boys, who are using the same substance are sent to jail," Wu said in Boston Magazine.

"It doesn't make sense for our criminal justice system. It doesn't make sense for our economy. Certainly, there are issues we have to work out for our regulation of it, but I believe we are up to the task."

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