Selectmen Oppose Ballot Question 4: Marijuana Legalization
Posted on: September 20, 2016 - 10:14am
Governor Charles Baker
Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg
Speaker Robert A. DeLeo
State House – (Various, individually addressed)
Boston, MA 02133
RE: Commonwealth of Massachusetts November 8, 2016: Opposition to Ballot Question #4
Dear (Sirs):
This November, voters in Massachusetts will choose whether or not to legalize marijuana in our state. What the out-of-state special interests financing this effort aren’t telling us is that this ballot initiative would create hundreds of neighborhood marijuana shops selling kid-friendly marijuana products like lollipops and gummy bears, easily mistaken for ordinary candy. And since the rulemaking body would consist of many marijuana industry representatives, the law would create a corporate “Big Tobacco”-like industry with the goal of making a few people rich. That means we can be assured of weak advertising regulations and widespread promotions, coupons, and other ads aimed at young people.
The initiative is written so broadly, it would provide no effective regulation on marijuana advertising or edibles. That means that local marijuana shops could sell and promote marijuana candies, ice creams, sodas, and marijuana concentrates that can be as more than 90% pure.
Massachusetts should learn from states like Colorado that legalized marijuana. Since Colorado legalized marijuana, it has the highest rate of youth marijuana use in the nation—a rate 70% higher than the national average. There, marijuana use is now number one in the country among teenagers. Parkview Hospital Emergency Room in Colorado wrote recently that since recreational marijuana has been legal in that state, the hospital has seen a 51% increase in children 18 and under that test positive for marijuana. Nearly half of all newborns born in that hospital also tested positive for pre-natal marijuana exposure.
Finally, in today’s hyper-partisan political climate, it speaks volumes that high-profile politicians from both parties oppose the initiative, including Governor Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, along with the Massachusetts Superintendents and the Massachusetts Hospitals Association.
The Pembroke Board of Selectmen wishes to join in opposition to this initiative. Voters should reject marijuana legalization in November.
Respectfully yours,
The Pembroke Board of Selectmen