Massachusetts
Updated February 2010
LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS MULTIPLE MARIJUANA BILLS
Legislators in Massachusetts will be considering multiple marijuana bills this session.
HB 2160 and seeks to legalize marijuana under the guise of medicine. The bill was introduced during the 2009 session and has carried over to the 2010 session. It is important that you contact your representative and educate them on the consequences of passing such legislation. Click here to send a prewritten letter asking your representative to vote NO on HB 2160.
In addition to the “medical” marijuana bill there have also been bills introduced seeking to tax and regulate marijuana, HB 2929 and SB 1801. These bills seek to impose a fee of one hundred and fifty dollars to two hundred and fifty dollars per ounce for the sale of marijuana sold by licensed commercial cultivators. While the intention to collect an excise on the retail sales of marijuana sounds good, one must realize such a substantial increase in the cost of “regulated” marijuana will only increase the illicit cultivation and sales of the state’s marijuana black market. Click here to ask your representative to vote NO on SB 1801!
In 2008 voters passed Question Two, a ballot initiative that decriminalized the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. This year legislators have introduced a number of bills aimed at dealing with problems associated with the passage of Question Two. The bills seek to do the following:
- restrict possession of marijuana in school zones, municipal owned land, building or vehicles,
- increase penalties for marijuana possession by anyone in a vehicle,
- enable employers, school committees, and people in charge of places open to the public to make their own rules prohibiting the use of marijuana,
- criminalize the possession of marijuana in a school zone and within 1000 feet of a public park.
Steps you can take to promote sound drug policies include:
1. Visiting your Representative at either their state or local office
2. Phone your legislator
3. Speak to organizations in your community about this legislation
4. Submit a Letter to the Editor or an Opinion Editorial to your local media outlet
Open Legislation:
HB 2929/SB 1801 seeks to tax and regulate marijuana.
SB 294 would provide substance abuse awareness education in schools.
SB 295 would establish a drug prevention pilot program in schools.
HB 1536 states that they new law (Question 2, passed by voters last year, that decriminalizes the possession of 1 ounce of marijuana by adults), would not apply to persons found to be in possession of marijuana within a school, school yard, play ground, public library, municipal owned land, building or vehicle.
HB 4006 would criminalize the possession of marijuana in a school zone and within 100 feet of a public park.
HB 1763 seeks to allow school committees, employers, and people in charge of places open to the public, shall be free to make rules and regulations prohibiting the use or possession of any amounts of marijuana on school grounds, places of employment, and places open to the public.
HB 4007 would criminalize the possession of marijuana while driving a vehicle.
SB 1586 would increase penalties for the possession of marijuana by anyone in a vehicle to a fine of at least $1000 and suspension of ones drivers license for up to 90 days.
SB 1825 would allow police officers to conduct searches based on probable cause that marijuana is present in a vehicle and would also allow government employers to adopt, modify, and enforce drug testing policies and promulgate restriction regarding employment licensing based on the use or possession of marijuana.
HB 2089 would develop a tamper-proof prescription pad or electronic system to monitor prescriptions.
HB 2929/SB 1801 seeks to tax and regulate marijuana.
SB 294 would provide substance abuse awareness education in schools.
SB 295 would establish a drug prevention pilot program in schools.
HB 1536 states that they new law (Question 2, passed by voters last year, that decriminalizes the possession of 1 ounce of marijuana by adults), would not apply to persons found to be in possession of marijuana within a school, school yard, play ground, public library, municipal owned land, building or vehicle.
HB 4006 would criminalize the possession of marijuana in a school zone and within 100 feet of a public park.
HB 1763 seeks to allow school committees, employers, and people in charge of places open to the public, shall be free to make rules and regulations prohibiting the use or possession of any amounts of marijuana on school grounds, places of employment, and places open to the public.
HB 4007 would criminalize the possession of marijuana while driving a vehicle.
SB 1586 would increase penalties for the possession of marijuana by anyone in a vehicle to a fine of at least $1000 and suspension of ones drivers license for up to 90 days.
SB 1825 would allow police officers to conduct searches based on probable cause that marijuana is present in a vehicle and would also allow government employers to adopt, modify, and enforce drug testing policies and promulgate restriction regarding employment licensing based on the use or possession of marijuana.
HB 2089 would develop a tamper-proof prescription pad or electronic system to monitor prescriptions.
HB 628/HB 629 establishes and regulates a special commission for the purposes of studying the decriminalization of the possession of marijuana and its effect on public and private tenement housing.
HB 832 establishes an industrial hemp legalization commission.
HB 1116 relative to the monitoring of controlled substances.
HB 1537 an act regarding the decriminalization of marijuana and local option.
HB 1544 an act relative to the establishment of a drug court.
HB 2160 an act to establish a “medical” marijuana program.
HB 1281 provides for the civil liability of drug dealers.
HB 2089 an act to prevent prescription fraud.
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Take Action
- Help decrease prescription fraud-support HB 4478! - February 15, 2010
In the News
- The deadly epidemic no one's addressing - August 14, 2009
