The Annual Town Meeting on May 27, 2009 approved adopting:

ARTICLE 15. PUBLIC CONSUMPTION OF MARIJUANA OR TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL

To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following bylaw:

PUBLIC CONSUMPTION OF MARIJUANA OR  TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL

§ 1 Prohibition on Use 

A. Not in a Motor Vehicle: No person shall smoke, ingest, or otherwise use or consume marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol (as defined in G.L. c. 94C, §1) while in or upon any public building, vehicle controlled by the Town, recreational area, playground, park, beach, boat landing or launch, schoolhouse, school grounds, street, sidewalk, public way, passageway, bridge, stairs, parking lot, cemetery, bus stop, or any area or property owned or under the control of the Town, or any area accessible to the public.  

B. In a Motor Vehicle: The consumption of marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol is also prohibited in any motor vehicle in or on a public way whether or not the user is operating the vehicle or whether the vehicle is in operation at all.  

§ 2 Violations and Penalties

Whoever violates this bylaw shall be punished by a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars ($300) for each offense. Any penalty imposed under this bylaw shall be in addition to any civil penalty imposed under G.L. c. 94C, §32L. If a violator fails to pay the fine issued, he or she may be subject to civil contempt proceedings.

§ 3 Enforcement

Violations of any provision of this bylaw may be processed pursuant to Chapter 40, section 21 D of the general laws of the Commonwealth and shall be in amount set forth above. Enforcement of this bylaw under the Non-Criminal Disposition process shall be carried out by the Police Chief, and duly sworn Police Officers who shall have full enforcement powers.