Marijuana advocates are trying to block an anti-legalization lawmaker from becoming the state Senates point person on pot, contending that his outspoken criticism of recreational marijuana makes him unfit for the position.
The advocates are lobbying Senate leaders not to appoint Senator Jason M. Lewis as the co-chairman of the new Committee on Marijuana because Lewis was a key opponent of Question 4, which legalized pot purchase, possession, and use.
Jim Borghesani, who helped run the ballot campaign and now works for the national Marijuana Policy Project, said advocates dont think the Legislature should tinker with the law at all before the marijuana oversight body it creates has time to make regulations.
That said, if this proposed committee moves forward, we think the chairs should be as agnostic as possible regarding legalization and the law passed by voters in November, Borghesani said in a statement. A person who chose the role of chief campaigner against legalization would certainly not fit that description.
Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo announced last week the Legislature will establish a joint Committee on Marijuana comprised of member of both branches to draft legislation related to the new industry. Rosenberg and DeLeo will appoint the co-chairs.
The Senate president offered high praise of Lewis in a statement.
We are at the earliest stages of discussion with members about committee requests and interests, Rosenberg said. With that said, Senator Lewis has continually proven that he is one of the most thoughtful, knowledgeable, and hardest working members of the Senate.
The marijuana committee is set to hold hearings, compile research, and write new laws on a variety of pot-related subjects. Those could include: hiking the tax rate on recreational marijuana sales; imposing restrictions on what form pot-infused food treats can take (a prohibition on marijuana gummy bears, for instance); and a legal standard for driving under the influence theres currently no marijuana impairment standard in the law comparable to the 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration cut-off for alcohol.
Lewis, a Winchester Democrat and onetime McKinsey & Co. consultant, is seen as deeply knowledgeable on the subject of marijuana legalization and led a special Senate committee on the topic last year. He interviewed more than 50 experts, scoured the research, and studied the industry first-hand on a visit to Colorado.
But the 48-year-old father of two came to oppose the commercial marijuana market the ballot initiative creates. And he became perhaps the most public face of the opposition to Question 4, appearing at debates and forums to urge voters to cast their ballots against the measure.
After the initiative passed, Lewis said he would respect the will of the voters.
But he raised the dander of some advocates by sponsoring a measure now law that delayed significant parts of a marijuana legalization law that 1.8 million voters approved. The likely opening date for recreational marijuana stores was delayed by half a year, from January to July 2018.
I am fully committed to moving forward as quickly as possible to responsibly, thoughtfully, and safely implement a legal recreational marijuana market in Massachusetts, Lewis said in a statement. I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues in the Legislature and all interested stakeholders to fulfill the will of the voters.
Matt Schweich, director of state campaigns for the Marijuana Policy Project, the national group that helped back the successful Massachusetts initiative, met Thursday with Rosenberg.
Schweich declined to disclose what was said in that meeting. In a telephone interview, however, he did say his group wants the chairs to be objective and neutral, and it wouldnt be appropriate for a strong opponent to chair that committee.
He added that his organization wants to work with the Legislature to ensure a timely and responsible implementation of Question 4.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Anti-Legalization Senator Draws Ire Of Marijuana Advocates
Author: Joshua Miller
Contact: 1-888-694-5623
Photo Credit: Jonathan Wiggs
Website: The Boston Globe
