Mass. decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana
The Boston Globe reported that Ballot Question 2, which would decriminalize minor amounts of marijuana in Massachusetts, passed by a margin of 65 to 35 percent.
Although the same question failed in 2004, voters heartily endorsed the amendment this year. The amendment will change the state's law so that those found with less than an ounce of marijuana will be given a $100 ticket without threat of criminal prosecution. The funds raised through ticket collection would go to the city where the marijuana was confiscated.
According to Sensible Marijuana Policy, a group supporting the amendment, the question would save Massachusetts $29.5 million per year in law enforcement and would save many the trouble of having criminal records.
Comments (9)
12:20 a.m., Nov. 5, 2008
relax said:
It means you dont waste your tax money on fighting victimless crimes. And what it doesnt mean is that you now have to start smoking marijuana the stuff is still illegal remember that
9:23 a.m., Nov. 5, 2008
Snuge said:
ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS NOW IS WE CAN GET THAAAAT PEEEEYYYOOOTTTTEEEEEEEEEE WHENEVER AND WHEREVER WE WANT IT.
9:34 a.m., Nov. 5, 2008
peej said:
It wont help them in the workplace though. A dirty test is a dirty test. This way they can be unemployable and somehow I think that will affect the taxpayers in the end.
5:45 p.m., Nov. 5, 2008
lets be fair said:
people are always gonna hate stoners cause they're "slackers"..how many peoples' careers have been ruined because they smoke one joint? at least now we can all sleep peacefully at night!
3:29 p.m., Nov. 6, 2008
pothead said:
Im glad that question 2 passed... I mean its stil not legal, but maybe this is the stepin stone in makin it legal in the future... when do u hear someone dyin or over dosin on weed? I never heard of that I never see the damage that weed does at all... a lot of people underestimate weed... alcahol and ciggaretts does way more damage... don't u agree?
9:46 p.m., Nov. 6, 2008
oldstoner60 said:
IT'S ABOUT TIME! It's still illegal but this is a step in the right direction. Now the stoners can make room for real criminals roaming our streets. They will have their rightful place, in a jail cell. And the stoners can get back to mellowing and munching. Smoking is not exactly a productive endeavor. But it's not a criminal act either. Drunk driving is! Marijuana prohibition...this too shall pass. As soon as the government can find a way to tax it. And maybe it should be taxed. It just might help the struggling economy. And just think. All those legislators can finally come out of the closet!
2:06 p.m., Jan. 3, 2009
LOL said:
@ letsbefair: Slackers? I know many med students that smoke weed and do fine. I know many seriously 4.0 students that smoke weed and work harder than non-weed smokers. @ outraged: Shut up. If it were up to people like you, alcohol would be banned to. Now we know what the alcohol prohibition was like. Please name one reason that isnt related to its legality on why Alcohol is safer/better for your community.
11:14 p.m., Nov. 4, 2008
outraged said:
what dose this do for the people that live withut smoking weed its pointless!!!