Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Augusta – Gov. Paul LePage has signed a proclamation verifying the results of a November ballot question that saw voters, by a narrow margin, approve the legalization of recreational marijuana in Maine.
LePage confirmed the proclamation Tuesday on a talk show on WVOM radio in Bangor. But he also called on the Legislature to place a moratorium on the sale of marijuana until lawmakers could work out all the details, including providing funding to set up a regulatory framework for legal marijuana.
Under the new law, adults over age 21 will be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana or grow up to six plants. Commercial sale of the drug would be regulated by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Ballot question opponents had requested a recount of the measure, which was approved by a 4,000-vote margin but the recount by the Secretary of State's Office was ended in December after it appeared there would be no significant change in the results.
LePage said Tuesday he needs the Legislature to provide funding to the agriculture department in order for him to move forward with establishing an agency to regulate the sale of marijuana in Maine.
"There's nothing I can do until the Legislature gives me money to set up the infrastructure," LePage said.
The governor said he believed a moratorium would also be appropriate, so lawmakers could determine if Maine's medical marijuana laws would still be necessary once recreational marijuana is being sold over the counter.
"That concerns me," LePage said, pointing to Colorado, which he said saw an increase in medical marijuana patients after that state also legalized recreational marijuana. He said Colorado residents were applying for medical marijuana permits in order to avoid the state sales tax on recreational marijuana, which is being paid for largely by tourists.
"So now they are collecting just a fraction of the taxes that they thought they would," LePage said. "We really need to sit down and look at this and if we are going to tax, let's tax it, and if we are not going to tax it, let's not even bother doing it."
LePage also took a shot at recreational marijuana advocate Paul McCarrier, saying his estimates on tax revenue the state would collect from legalized marijuana were off the mark by a long shot. McCarrier earlier told WVOM that Maine could be collecting as much as $200 million a year in tax revenue by 2020 from the sales of marijuana and related products.
"My response to that is — he's smoking," LePage said. "We've got 1.3 million people so 1.3 million people are going to smoke and tax us up to $200 million, the guy is smoking, I'm telling you he is out in left field. We don't make that off from liquor and liquor has been around a heck of a lot longer."
On other topics, the governor also said he expects the Legislature will raise the state's income tax this year but he would not propose an increase in his budget, which is due Friday.
LePage later said his New Year's resolution was to not call lawmakers names in 2017. "I'm just going to call them legislator. I'm not going to pick on any individual. You know, quite frankly it's pretty hard to fight a losing battle," he said.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Governor LePage Signs Off On Legal Marijuana
Author: Scott Thistle
Contact: (207) 791-6650
Photo Credit: State of Maine
Website: Portland Press Herald
LePage confirmed the proclamation Tuesday on a talk show on WVOM radio in Bangor. But he also called on the Legislature to place a moratorium on the sale of marijuana until lawmakers could work out all the details, including providing funding to set up a regulatory framework for legal marijuana.
Under the new law, adults over age 21 will be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana or grow up to six plants. Commercial sale of the drug would be regulated by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Ballot question opponents had requested a recount of the measure, which was approved by a 4,000-vote margin but the recount by the Secretary of State's Office was ended in December after it appeared there would be no significant change in the results.
LePage said Tuesday he needs the Legislature to provide funding to the agriculture department in order for him to move forward with establishing an agency to regulate the sale of marijuana in Maine.
"There's nothing I can do until the Legislature gives me money to set up the infrastructure," LePage said.
The governor said he believed a moratorium would also be appropriate, so lawmakers could determine if Maine's medical marijuana laws would still be necessary once recreational marijuana is being sold over the counter.
"That concerns me," LePage said, pointing to Colorado, which he said saw an increase in medical marijuana patients after that state also legalized recreational marijuana. He said Colorado residents were applying for medical marijuana permits in order to avoid the state sales tax on recreational marijuana, which is being paid for largely by tourists.
"So now they are collecting just a fraction of the taxes that they thought they would," LePage said. "We really need to sit down and look at this and if we are going to tax, let's tax it, and if we are not going to tax it, let's not even bother doing it."
LePage also took a shot at recreational marijuana advocate Paul McCarrier, saying his estimates on tax revenue the state would collect from legalized marijuana were off the mark by a long shot. McCarrier earlier told WVOM that Maine could be collecting as much as $200 million a year in tax revenue by 2020 from the sales of marijuana and related products.
"My response to that is — he's smoking," LePage said. "We've got 1.3 million people so 1.3 million people are going to smoke and tax us up to $200 million, the guy is smoking, I'm telling you he is out in left field. We don't make that off from liquor and liquor has been around a heck of a lot longer."
On other topics, the governor also said he expects the Legislature will raise the state's income tax this year but he would not propose an increase in his budget, which is due Friday.
LePage later said his New Year's resolution was to not call lawmakers names in 2017. "I'm just going to call them legislator. I'm not going to pick on any individual. You know, quite frankly it's pretty hard to fight a losing battle," he said.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Governor LePage Signs Off On Legal Marijuana
Author: Scott Thistle
Contact: (207) 791-6650
Photo Credit: State of Maine
Website: Portland Press Herald
