Massachusetts – In three weeks, Massachusetts and other four states will vote on the legalization of recreational marijuana in adults over 21 years. The poll will be held on November 8.
On November 4 of 2008, the state of Massachusetts decriminalized the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, the possession of it still illegal but was not sanctioned as a criminal offense but as part of civil offenses. Since the decriminalization, the possessors had to pay a fee of 100 USD.
The medical use of marijuana in Massachusetts was voted upon the ‘Question 3’ on November 6, 2012. The proposal was accepted by the 63% of the voters, and the state implemented card registrations where patients could acquire to possess it legally.
By now, 25 states of the U.S. approve the medical use of marijuana, and its recreational use is legal in Alaska. Washington, District of Columbia and Oregon.
The disagreements upon recreational legalization
Since the ‘Question 4’ was held to be voted in November of this year, several worries appeared in the society.
The opponents of the proposal state that the legalization would increase the promoting of its consumption, increase violence and car accidents and cause health issues since the civilians would raise their possession of ‘weed.’
As part of the opponent’s campaign against the legalization the Beer Distributors PAC donated 25,000 USD to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts.
The proponents have stated that the legalization of the pot will increase the tax incomes in the state; there is no impact of the consumption of marijuana. Also, the states that already legalized it have shown no noticeable difference or the increase of violence and accidents, in fact, the only difference is the increase in tax revenues.
The Senator from Massachusetts, Vitriato deMacedo, manifested his concerns about the legalization, stating worries about pesticides and safety problems. He also alleged that the main importance of the referendum is about the economic consequences of the legalization and how the market of marijuana will develop and not about if people should consume or not.
Pesticides used in the cultivation of marijuana
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) does not regulate the use of pesticides in the cultivation of Cannabis since it still illegal federally. Marijuana is still considered as Schedule I Controlled Substances, drugs with high potential for abuse and lack of safety.
The use of pesticides can be dangerous for humans since the chemicals released by the pesticides can cause liver damages, develop cancer, affect the lungs since it is easy inhaled and issues in the muscles.
Source: Press Herald