Massachusetts Governor Signs Recreational Cannabis Bill

photo by Rappaport Center

Massachusetts made history late last week by being the newest state to legalize recreational cannabis.

According to WBUR News, Governor Charles Baker signed the recreational cannabis bill into law on Friday of last week. An adult use program has now officially been launched in the state, and a Cannabis Advisory Board is currently being established.

The bill was passed by voters in the election last November, and another bill was passed last week in the state legislature amending the original slightly in order to get it to pass. Although Baker opposes recreational cannabis, he has stated that he wants to uphold voter’s decision to legalize. He explained in an official statement that he appreciates “the careful consideration the legislature took to balance input from lawmakers, educators, public safety officials and public health professionals, while honoring the will of the voters regarding the adult use of marijuana.”

The revised bill changed a few things about the way legal cannabis will be handled in Massachusetts. Sales tax is now required to be at least 20 percent, instead of the originally proposed 12.

It also changed the way individual cities and counties will be able to implement legal shops. Areas that initially voted to legalize will now get to vote again regarding allowing businesses in their area. Places that voted against legalization will turn to the city council to decide whether they want to allow dispensaries.

Another change was to expand the number of Cannabis Control Commission members from three to five.

Finally, the date of projected recreational stores opening has changed. The state is currently looking at July 1, 2018 as their goal for beginning legal sales, rather than the initially proposed January 1, 2018 date.

While some allowances and changes had to be made in order for recreational cannabis to go through, this is still a huge leap for recreational cannabis acceptance in the U.S. Now, one more state will have a recreational system put into place in 2018.