It’s no surprise that proponents of Question 8 “did not respond to requests for comment” (“Question 8 marijuana repeal: Risky rollback or protection for teens?” Gazette, Oct. 27). It’s because their stance is woefully out of step with voters and because their talking points are misleading at best and outright false at worst.
For instance, campaign backers recently told NPR that Question 8 doesn’t repeal adults’ legal right to cultivate cannabis at home. But that’s not true. The ballot measure explicitly states that it “repeals Chapters 94G and 64N of the General Laws which govern the possession, use, distribution, cultivation, and taxation of marijuana not medically prescribed.”
Proponents further claim that legalization in Massachusetts has adversely impacted teen use. This is also untrue. In fact, following legalization in Massachusetts, youth cannabis use has fallen some 50 percent statewide. Rates of school disciplinary incidents involving cannabis have also declined significantly. That’s because regulated markets, with state-imposed rules, age limits, and controls, do a far greater job keeping cannabis out of the hands of young people than does prohibition.
Question 8 seeks to reverse this progress by eliminating the guardrails currently in place in the regulated market. If this market is eliminated, consumers will revert to obtaining marijuana from the unregulated market — where sellers don’t pay taxes, don’t check IDs, and don’t test the purity of their product.
Massachusetts voters don’t want a cannabis free-for-all. That’s why they voted for a legally regulated marketplace. And that’s why they will vote “no” on Question 8 to wisely keep this marketplace, and the controls that come with it, in place.
Paul Armentano, deputy director, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
Washington, D.C.