Weymouth lawmaker would roll back marijuana decriminalization
State Rep. James Murphy is again pushing legislation to roll back provisions of Question 2, a 3-year-old referendum that made possession of a small amount of marijuana a civil, rather than criminal, offense in Massachusetts. Two bills, which are both scheduled for a hearing on Beacon Hill this afternoon, would re-criminalize possession of less than [...]
Marijuana law means whiff is not enough
Persons who value the advantages of liberty and the principles of the constitution of Massachusetts will remember April 19 of 2011, the 236th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, as a little more special. It was the day that the Supreme Judicial Court released an opinion that the smell of burnt marijuana no [...]
Commonwealth v. Benjamin Cruz – A monumental decision
Police cannot search people or places based solely upon the odor of burnt marijuana. At 10:00 AM on Patriots’ Day 2011, the Supreme Judicial Court issued its decision in Commonwealth v. Cruz, a case that it had under consideration since oral arguments on December 9, 2010. Ordinarily, the SJC issues decisions within 120 days of [...]
NATICK $150
Approved by Special Town Meeting Insert the following new section between Sections 14 a and 15: “Section 14 b Public Consumption or Use of Marihuana or Tetrahydrocannabinol 1. No person shall smoke, ingest, or otherwise use or consume marihuana or tetrahydrocannabinol (as defined in M.G.L. c. 94C, § 1, as amended) while in or upon [...]
Bellingham STM October 14
Bellingham’s Special Town Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14 at 7:30 PM in the High School. This appears to be unnecessary as Bellingham’s Annual Town Meeting approved a bylaw and on July 29, 2009 the AG’s Office gave it there blessing. It is explained in a Boston Sunday Globe blurb as need to “codify” [...]
Police adjusting to new marijuana law; Tickets are going unpaid
BY DANIELLE RAY DANIELLE@LEGACYPHOTOONLINE.COM A resounding 65 percent of Massachusetts residents voted in favor of Question 2 on last November’s ballot, enacting The Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative. The new law essentially replaces criminal penalties for possession of marijuana with a $100 fine. The law also eliminates the reporting of the offense through a Criminal Offender [...]
QUESTION 2 IS THE LAW
The District Court Department of the Trial Court issued the following Memorandum to the District Court Judges, Clerk-Magistrates and ChiefProbation Officers on December 23: Possession of Marihuana after Jan. 2, 2009 . Detailed questions and answers to inform the public and law enforcement and municipal officials about the new law are available on the internet site of the [...]
