Advocates of recreational marijuana planning to see what voters think of full legalization

[unhappycamper]

http://www.tauntongazette.com/article/20140118/NEWS/140118622

&MaxW=650

While many law enforcement and state officials are against legalizing marijuana for recreational use, advocates are pushing to get a nonbinding referendum on the ballot in Massachusetts to guage voters' response to the issue. They feel the state's voters are ready to legalize recreational use.

Advocates of recreational marijuana planning to see what voters think of full legalization


~snip~

Bay State Repeal plans to place nonbinding referendum questions on local district ballots in this year's state elections to gauge public sentiment and see what language voters would support for the binding final question in 2016. Downing said the group will also run a set of public policy campaigns in 2014 to tout the benefits of legalization.

"We're hoping to have the final legislation written in a certain fashion, in a fashion that we would prefer, of course, but we have learned from past experiences that what we want isn't always what we get because we are not the people who have deep pockets who finance campaigns," Downing said, adding that he hopes the law would allow adults to grow their own marijuana as well as being able to buy it in retail settings.

Observers say the cost of mounting a petition drive to put the question on the ballot, and then to build public support through advertisement campaigns and other outreach activities, could run up to $5 million. As a result, well-financed groups outside Massachusetts are joining the legalization effort, including the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, an organization that was the largest financial backer of the Colorado ballot drive.

"Just qualifying a (ballot) initiative is a very expensive endeavor," said Mason Tvert, the communications director the Marijuana Policy Project. Tvert declined to place a dollar amount on the campaign, only saying that his group intends to support a legalization measure in Massachusetts for the 2016 elections.

[Feral Child]

1. K&R

but that ain't pot he's rolling, just sayin'.