Some might or might not have been surprised such drastic bills were filed after the majority of Massachusetts voters approved Question 4 language, but here we are. What’s not surprising is the push back from some Boston media outlets hurling insults to downplay the bigger picture of marijuana legalization.

Cannabis industry professionals, patients, and activists came together to write Q4 because believe it or not, this is no new industry. What we want is a legal industry. The condescending report by the Boston Herald and Boston CBS Local perpetuate the ignorance mainstream still carries about the cannabis community and how the law should be written. “But now the hacks have back-stabbed the hippies, and Big Weed has finally come out of its purple haze. Sorry, freaks. You thought you were buying primo, and instead the hacks sold you a bag of oregano. Bummer, man.” It would be one thing if it was all fun and games, but from the white privilege these journalists who have never known the impact prohibition has on communities of color to the perpetuation of legislators rewriting passed ballot initiatives being the norm, they miss the punch line being their outdated perspective.

Just because the legislators have a history of rewriting laws voted in simply because it’s their jobs to write legislation, doesn’t mean they are great at it 100% of the time. This underground industry rising shows the misguided education of those writing the laws for adult use marijuana and getting it right. The Senate’s actions to keep provisions of Q4 shows they just might have been listening during the hearings. The bigger issue lies in the House bill language which repeals and replaces both rec and medical laws and the fact that we have every right to be frustrated and call them out for it, especially when it calls for a tax rate that boosts black market activity and a law enforcement agency to enforce the Cannabis Control Commission’s rules and regulations, which by 2020, will be considered criminal if broken.

It must be a shocker for some people when they realize their bubbled stereotype of lazy, stupid stoner in reality are fed up civilians functioning in all aspects of societal contributions. All we want? For the world to look objectively at anecdotal evidence cannabis be taken seriously and language to reflect that. In a world where alcohol is joked in good fun about hangovers, blacking out, destructive decisions, and the list of ill health effects from abuse, it’s disappointing people are blind to the hypocrisy throwing shade at those pointing out a system we are witnessing fail. But maybe that is it. These poor mainstream humans are just mad we are not lazy, stupid stoners. We are making a big deal about the fact that our governing body is not representing the people’s will. That they do whatever they want because that’s how it is. “And it’s news to me that it’s somehow corrupt for the legislature to tweak a law passed by ballot initiative.” It’s not corrupt, it’s bullshit and we have every right to point out the consequences of their ‘tweaking’.

Sorry Howie and Jon Keller, but times are changing and the industry has been thriving in the black market for years, but tampering like the house did, would not allow for a thriving legal market and the state making money, not sorry.

We are not going anywhere. Call your representatives and the members of the committee drafting from the Senate and House bills and make your voice heard because that is our job, to make sure this industry does thrive and is done right. Support S.2097 and oppose H3776!

Senator Patricia Jehlen (D) – (617) 722-1578
Senator Richard Ross – 617-722-1555
Senator William Brownsberger (D) – (617) 722-1280
Rep. Hannah Kane (R) – (617) 722-2430
Rep. Ronald Mariano (D) – (617) 722-2300
Rep. Mark Cusack (D) – (617) 722-2637
Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo (D) – 617-722-2500
Chair, House Ways & Means Brian Dempsey (D) – 617-722-2990