cannabisnews.com: Massachusetts Delays Opening of Marijuana Shops
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Massachusetts Delays Opening of Marijuana Shops
Posted by CN Staff on December 31, 2016 at 15:20:26 PT
By The Associated Press
Source: New York Times 
Boston -- Gov. Charlie Baker has signed a bill aimed at delaying the opening of marijuana shops in Massachusetts, approved by voters in a ballot initiative in November, until mid-2018.A spokeswoman said Mr. Baker shared a desire with state lawmakers to thoroughly prepare for the start of a new industry distributing a controlled substance. But the spokeswoman, Lizzy Guyton, said the governor was “committed to adhering to the will of the voters by implementing the new law as effectively and responsibly as possible.”
Mr. Baker signed the bill on Friday as a small group of marijuana activists protested outside the Statehouse.Members of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws faulted lawmakers for passing the bill during end-of-year sessions and said the delay “flies in the face of the will of the voters” who approved the ballot question legalizing the drug.The House and Senate passed the bill Wednesday without a public hearing and without debate during informal sessions in both chambers. Only a handful of lawmakers were present.The ballot initiative, which allows adults 21 and over to possess and use limited amounts of marijuana and grow as many as a dozen marijuana plants in their homes, was approved by about 53 percent of voters on Nov. 8 and took effect Dec. 15.The bill signed by the governor does not change that. But what it is almost certain to do is push back the timetable for the opening of retail marijuana stores from the beginning of 2018 until the middle of that year.The State Senate president, Stan Rosenberg, and the House speaker, Robert DeLeo, both Democrats, said pushing back the deadlines will give lawmakers more time to consider issues that were not addressed in the ballot question.Among the dozen or so protesters outside the Statehouse was Rachel Ramone Donlan, 45, a Braintree resident who said she and other cannabis activists were “100 percent outraged” that, as she put it, a small group of lawmakers had undone the will of the people. She said she was even angrier that the governor signed the bill.Ms. Donlan also warned of what she called a legal gray area that will confuse people.“We are in fear that people are going to get arrested in the next six months because there will be a time frame when it’s legal to possess it but you cannot buy it,” Ms. Donlan said. “We’re losing out on tax revenue and we’re fueling the black market.”Among the major deadlines that would be put off for six months under the measure is a March 1 deadline for the state treasurer to appoint a cannabis control commission to oversee the recreational marijuana market; a Sept. 15 deadline for the commission to approve detailed regulations; an Oct. 1 deadline for accepting applications for retail marijuana outlets, and the Jan. 1, 2018, deadline for licensing the first marijuana shops.For now, it remains illegal in Massachusetts to sell marijuana except to registered medical marijuana patients.A version of this article appears in print on January 1, 2017, on Page A16 of the New York edition with the headline: Massachusetts Delays Marijuana Sales.Source: New York Times (NY) Published: January 1, 2017Copyright: 2017 The New York Times CompanyContact: letters nytimes.comWebsite: http://www.nytimes.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/v2lkOnhsCannabisNews  -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by The GCW on January 02, 2017 at 05:33:14 PT
Good news, moving forward.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren seeks to pull pot shops out of banking limbohttp://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/01/us-sen-warren-seeks-to-pull-pot-shops-out-of-banking-limbo/-0-I like the timing of this.Forgot Warren is from Mass, which just RE-legalized.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on January 02, 2017 at 05:08:48 PT
Hope
We have already won the hearts and minds of the majority of people in the USA. The pen is a mighty weapon of truth. I think Trump when told the tax income that marijuana generates and how it creates a product (made in the USA) as a business man he will have to agree. We have come too far to turn around and go back and hide and keep quiet. We have already won! From the bottom up not the top down like Obama said.
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Comment #10 posted by The GCW on January 01, 2017 at 15:58:43 PT
HOLLYWeeD
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/01/vandalized-hollywood-sign-now-reads-hollyweed/Vandalized Hollywood sign briefly reads “HOLLYWeeD”
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on January 01, 2017 at 15:49:58 PT
FoM, you're right.
I don't feel good about Trump at all. But hey, I thought President Obama would help more. I'm trying to stay calm and hope for the best. He likes Joe Arpaio. He was a "Birther". He likes Jeff Sessions. Duterte says he likes him! That's all certainly not encouraging. He certainly doesn't seem thoughtful, kind, or wise, or statesman like, or anything.... but... those politicos that are seemingly all or some of those things haven't been any or much help, either. So. Might as well be hopeful. Not because of Trump... but because of us and the fact that we are right. Nothing can change that. Trump and his crew don't inspire any hope. They are more inspiring of dread. But you guys... FoM, all of you, you inspire hope and courage. Even in the face of all the possibilities that the looming spectre of the new boss might conjure up, I still have hope, because of you.And hope or not, worries or not... we still gotta do what we have to do and we have to end the bloody injustice of the prohibition of cannabis. Maybe later than we thought... but we still have to do it.
 
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on January 01, 2017 at 15:41:15 PT
Good news from the Vail, Colorado area.
Eagle County man becomes the second to beat DUI marijuana chargehttp://www.summitdaily.com/news/crime/eagle-county-man-becomes-the-second-to-beat-dui-marijuana-charge/ "-the second DUID case in Eagle County. Defendants have won both cases."-0-Some of the locations where cannabis has been RE-legalized or is being considered for RE-legalization, are trying to confront the driving while stoned issue. LIke the above article, which demonstrates how 5 ng is not a good way to go about it, those locations end up delaying RE-legalization over it...Heck, if some one can walk the line, yet they have 5 nano's in their system and government is attacking them, THAT GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF LINE & should stop it.-*-*-Citizens can do their part by not convicting drivers who can walk the line and that will help stop over zealous prosecutors from their dirty deeds.If people are honestly too impaired to drive, get them off the road. Otherwise, leave people alone.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 01, 2017 at 12:55:49 PT
Hope
I feel just like I have always felt. Trump won't change that in me or many people. We must not get weary in well doing.
Happy New Year!
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on January 01, 2017 at 08:25:03 PT
Happy New Year, Indeed!
It's going to be a good year! We're strong! We're seasoned! We are multitudes! We're loaded for bear!Let's go!
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 01, 2017 at 05:10:51 PT
Happy New Year 2017
Hoping this new year is a good one for all of us. 
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Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on December 31, 2016 at 17:04:45 PT
Massachusetts
the plants are getting higher, that's all I can say. There is talk of planning "Give-away for the Delay" day where people can exchange seeds and clones and get busy overgrowing the Vladmir Putin-like state government here.Happy New Year!
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Comment #3 posted by The GCW on December 31, 2016 at 16:11:02 PT
Keep doing what You've been doin' while We snooze
One way to take this news;While government takes longer to create regulation, continue purchasing cannabis from the black market which has done a fair job at regulating the superplant.-0-Who's waiting on Sam?
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Comment #2 posted by HempWorld on December 31, 2016 at 15:36:28 PT
Sorry forgot to add:
Happy New Year!To All, including the ignoids!Apparently there is still going to be much need for CNews!Thank you FoM!Will you last? Will we all?Ha!
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Comment #1 posted by HempWorld on December 31, 2016 at 15:34:26 PT
Now there!
Any questions?
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