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Voters in Massachusetts overwhelmingly approved the use of medical marijuana on Tuesday, but now the state must figure out how to implement it safely as
Some worry it could have unintended consequences, especially because individuals who qualify could grow it themselves.
State officials say they plan to tighten the language of the law and come up with something that makes sense, but they must do it quickly before the law goes into effect in less than two months.
Question 3 passed in Massachusetts to the tune of 63 percent of voters saying they approve of the medical use of marijuana. The law allows for qualifying patients who don't have reasonable access to a store to grow it themselves come Jan. 1.
"It's a problem, again, no matter what you think about medical marijuana," says Skip Schloming, the executive director fo the Mass. Small Property Owners Association. "Under anti-discrimination laws, we can't even ask about someone's use or intention to grow marijuana."
This means landlords could end up renting to someone who then grows marijuana in their apartment, and there would be nothing the landlord could do about it.
"There's all the humidity that would be involved, there would be, you know, you'd have to water the plants, and the plants can be transpiring and giving the water off into the atmosphere," Schloming says.
"Who cares whether it's marijuana or not? I mean, is marijuana going to cause more damage to an apartment than, for instance, any other house plant?" asks Bill Downing of the Mass. Cannabis Reform Coalition.
Downing says concerns about medical marijuana use are a smoke screen of sorts.
"It's 'Reefer Madness', that's what it is," he says. "I mean, it's the idea that marijuana is evil and somehow it's going to destroy this apartment."
But the potential for expanded illicit use is also a concern for those like Schloming.
Under the current language, patients could grow a 60-day supply, but there's no outline of how much that amounts to.
"You're going to have criminal activity going on around your property and other tenants just may not be happy with that at all," says Schloming.
The ballot measure gives the Department of Public Health the responsibility of developing regulations regarding the use of medical marijuana. The agency has come under fire in recent months following the drug lab scandal and the outbreak of fungal meningitis related to a Massachusetts drug compounding pharmacy - two industries they oversaw when both experienced well-publicized issues. DPH says they will take the time to consider how to do this properly, but the law goes into effect Jan. 1.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: necn.com
Author: Jennifer Eagan
Contact: NECN - Breaking News, Boston Weather, politics and the Latest Business, Health, Arts and Sports
Website: Mass. medical marijuana law raises new concerns
Some worry it could have unintended consequences, especially because individuals who qualify could grow it themselves.
State officials say they plan to tighten the language of the law and come up with something that makes sense, but they must do it quickly before the law goes into effect in less than two months.
Question 3 passed in Massachusetts to the tune of 63 percent of voters saying they approve of the medical use of marijuana. The law allows for qualifying patients who don't have reasonable access to a store to grow it themselves come Jan. 1.
"It's a problem, again, no matter what you think about medical marijuana," says Skip Schloming, the executive director fo the Mass. Small Property Owners Association. "Under anti-discrimination laws, we can't even ask about someone's use or intention to grow marijuana."
This means landlords could end up renting to someone who then grows marijuana in their apartment, and there would be nothing the landlord could do about it.
"There's all the humidity that would be involved, there would be, you know, you'd have to water the plants, and the plants can be transpiring and giving the water off into the atmosphere," Schloming says.
"Who cares whether it's marijuana or not? I mean, is marijuana going to cause more damage to an apartment than, for instance, any other house plant?" asks Bill Downing of the Mass. Cannabis Reform Coalition.
Downing says concerns about medical marijuana use are a smoke screen of sorts.
"It's 'Reefer Madness', that's what it is," he says. "I mean, it's the idea that marijuana is evil and somehow it's going to destroy this apartment."
But the potential for expanded illicit use is also a concern for those like Schloming.
Under the current language, patients could grow a 60-day supply, but there's no outline of how much that amounts to.
"You're going to have criminal activity going on around your property and other tenants just may not be happy with that at all," says Schloming.
The ballot measure gives the Department of Public Health the responsibility of developing regulations regarding the use of medical marijuana. The agency has come under fire in recent months following the drug lab scandal and the outbreak of fungal meningitis related to a Massachusetts drug compounding pharmacy - two industries they oversaw when both experienced well-publicized issues. DPH says they will take the time to consider how to do this properly, but the law goes into effect Jan. 1.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: necn.com
Author: Jennifer Eagan
Contact: NECN - Breaking News, Boston Weather, politics and the Latest Business, Health, Arts and Sports
Website: Mass. medical marijuana law raises new concerns
