Marijuana: Massachusetts Decriminalization Goes Into Effect Today -- Includes Hashish
Massachusetts cannabis connoisseurs will be able to enjoy a joint, a bowl of hashish, or even a few hits of hash oil without fear of arrest beginning today. The decriminalization measure passed by Bay State voters in November provides for a maximum $100 fine for possession of up to an ounce of THC, thus including all cannabis products, according to state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security guidelines issued Monday.
marijuana plants
Now, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security has come to their rescue. In addition to spelling out the decriminalization of all forms of THC, its guidelines also make clear that existing laws against the distribution of marijuana or driving under its influence remain in effect. The office also explained that all police with civil enforcement powers, including campus cops, can issue citations.
The guidelines note that even now that small-time marijuana possession has been decriminalized, cities and towns may pass ordinances banning the public use of the herb, and encourages them to do so. Previously, such ordinances were unnecessary because possession of any amount was illegal. "EOPSS recommends that municipalities enact such bylaws or ordinances and provide police with the option of treating public use as a misdemeanor offense,'" the guidelines said.
According to the guidelines, police may still search people they suspect possess marijuana provided they have probable cause and exigent circumstances, and police may conduct a weapons search if there is particularized reason to believe a weapon is present. But because simple marijuana possession is no longer an arrestable offense, they may not conduct a search incident to arrest.
Pot smokers who wish to possess firearms will not be barred from seeking a license on the basis of a possession infraction, but those people who were charged under the old marijuana law will still be ineligible for that license, the guidelines said.
digg
redditThe Next Step
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sun, 01/04/2009 - 6:32pmHaving seen this process take place in sevral other states, and seen things go from looking like thay might get better, to getting much worse, its time the voters take the next step.
Now that MAssachusetts has passed a decrim law, its to to keep pushing, you have the public suport, you have a goverment with empty pockets. It;s time to show that just how much money is waiteing for them by simply by allowing the pot loving public there weed. i dont know about the rest of you, but i would gladly pay a nice vice tax for my smoke, and not have to worry about getting busted. Who would not gladly pay a tax and not have to worry about jail, loss of job, family, income, life, due to an outdateed law.
Keep pushing Mass, you can do it, its not that hard to motavate a pot head.
go massachusetts smoke pot
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 12:32amwaitin in india 4 such laws 2 be enacted.......after all we our the originators in true sense........boom shankar.
Greg
Comment posted by Anonymous on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 7:44amtime and time again we see the usual response to deciminalization of weed in the panic-ridden how will we guard our children? does this mean everyone will smoke it anytime they want? will the airline pilot have just finished a joint? (that last one is actual in some old late60's/early70's scare propoganda) and the answer they do not hear is ...HELL NO! are the masses boozing it up during the work day because liquor is legal....NO, do airline pilots routinely fly you about soused out of their mind..NO. They respond further by stating that weed is a gateway drug! no more so than alchohol... but that broken record just keeps skipping backwards again and again to the point it makes me nauseaous..... more nauseaus than I was the last time I got drunk!
hey Greg, good thing
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/24/2009 - 4:34pmhey Greg, good thing marijuana is excellent medicine for nausea!
You're on the right track Greg
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sun, 01/25/2009 - 3:15amIts rediculous. I cant believe how long its taken for us to get to this point. How and/or why the government has been fighting the use of Marijuana is still unclear to me. I mean, one of the original main ingredients to soda was COCAINE before we discovered caffeine. Served to the general public and they still made a profit from it. Come on now. And you see commercials every day for any 'illness' or 'problem' you can think of, and they all end in the same way; "Side effects may include: nausea, heart attack, organ failure, bleeding, hemorraging, rashes, blindness, deafness, an extra penis, etc.". Oh yes, I definitley need this pill to make my sex last longer and enlarge my 'little guy' at the same time. Screw the Anal Leakage as long as i have some really wild average sex! HALLELUJA!!!
If Marijuana was on a commercial like that, it would probobly end like; "Side effects may include: hunger, drowsiness, happiness, paranoia (rare, depending on tolerance), and an increase in sensitivity and/or pleasure to all 5 senses.".
Have you ever heard of some guy getting so stoned that he beat is wife, killed his family, raped someone or robbed a store? Not really. If you can get a pot head off of a couch or away from their video games without bribing them with some killer munchies or money than you are a fuckin super hero. shit. When I have my relaxing sessions, there is no way you are going to take me away from my peaceful paradise without some cheeseburgers. Get real. But I am not speaking for ALL weed smokers. I have a job. I get up 6 days a week and bust my ass. I dont smoke on the job because i do alot of driving. Losing my job by getting into an accident or running over little Timmy, who was just crossing the street, all for getting high for a little while is definitely not worth it. I save my sessions for the end of my long day, sitting outside on a hammock, feelin the breeze and listening to some good tunes. ALOT of you dont have jobs. Get one. Take care of your responsibilities first, then chillax. Feel me?
SWEET
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/17/2009 - 10:07pmeveryone's getting in a tizzy about this, but i doubt we'll see much of a change. maybe a few more kids smoking in the public gardens? when the sun comes out, the joints come out--happened last year, and it'll happen this year, only this time, the tokers will have even bigger smiles on their faces, and a feeling of absolute freedom in their hearts. i go to school in boston but live in washington, in a small town, and the cops here will bust you hard for any amount of weed, even residue on a piece, especially if you're young. it's great to know i can just smoke all over town and nobody can really stop me. hope the law stays poorly written forever--police are just giving up on dealing with potsmokers at all until the law gets rehauled. WHEEEE!
of course, after all that freedom-happy public weed smoking, i'll probably feeling like killing some bitches, vandalizing some property and generally wreaking havoc on society. oh wait, that's HARD drugs, silly me --- actually i'll probably just sit. listen to music. eat crackers. really bad.
the idiots just don't get it
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 7:08pmThe people of Massachusetts have spoken but "their" government doesn't want to listen. Maybe all of the people that voted for decrim should rally behind the repeal of the income tax there. Putting a big financial crimp in their free spending ways will get them.