URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n667/a04.html
Newshawk: Jim
Votes: 0
Pubdate: Fri, 04 Nov 2016
Source: Times Record (Brunswick, ME)
Copyright: 2016 Times Record Inc.
Contact:
Website: http://www.timesrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/705
Note: Part of editorial about Question 1
TIMES RECORD ENDORSES MAINE REFERENDUMS
Maine voters are deciding on six referendums this election. Here are The Times Record’s endorsements.
Question 1 seeks to allow the recreational use and tax of marijuana. It’s past time to legalize marijuana, the most commonly used illicit drug in the nation. According to the Pew Research Center, 49 percent of Americans admit having tried marijuana, while 53 percent support legalization. Legalization would make recreational use safer, free up law enforcement and the courts to prosecute more serious crimes, and provide another source of badly-needed revenue for the state.
The sky-is-falling klaxon – sounded by the Maine Attorney General’s office and Mainers Protecting Our Youth and Communities – is that passage of Question 1 would eliminate penalties for consumption and possession by all Mainers, including youth.
Undoubtedly, the Legislature, during its normal rule-making process following the passage of citizen referendums will amend the question to resolve poorly constructed language in the bill.
MAP posted-by: Matt