Maine on track to legalize recreational cannabis

The citizens of’State of Maine were inspired by their Canadian neighbors by rallying for the full legalization of cannabis in their state. Indeed, Maine Secretary of State Mathew Dunlap has announced that a referendum to legalize recreational cannabis in Maine will take place in November 2016. A petition calling for this referendum has reached 100,000 signatures, enough for the issue to be put to the vote in November.

David Boyer of the «Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol» seems confident. The fall deadline will give pro-legalization advocates a chance to explain the evils of prohibition: «We believe that regulating and controlling cannabis from behind an expert counter is by far a better approach than leaving a monopoly to dealers».»

Legalization opponent Scott Gagnon explains that Maine would become «the cannabis hub of the East Coast, legalization will only bring problems. We're confident that when Maine residents see the’history of cannabis, If they don't know what to expect, and what it would mean to have dispensaries in their community, they will reject the weed industry to protect their family's health and their children's future.»

The proposed law would legalize recreational cannabis for 21-year-olds and over, authorizing them to possess 2.5 ounces (70 grams)! Maine already has the financial infrastructure to regulate the sale of weed, since the medicinal cannabis has been legal since 1999.

The petition also proposes a few ideas for the next stage of the cannabic adventure: firstly, recreational marijuana would be overseen by Maine's Department of Administrative and Financial Services« Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations. This government agency, which already handles alcohol and gaming, would be responsible for distributing licenses for cannabis producers and sellers. It would also be responsible for verifying the packaging, quality and distribution of weed in the state.

Idealists also want to block the way to the giants of the cannabis industry by limiting the size of production sites and the number of plants cultivated. This measure would enable small and medium-sized growers to improve their purchasing power without having to turn to the black market. In short, pro-legalizers don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past. Colorado errors where small producers sell illegally.

Maine joins Nevada, California, Arizona,Michigan, Massachusetts and Vermont among the states where the question of legalizing recreational cannabis will arise this year.

Théo Caillart