Regulatory body will likely be slow to roll-out implementation, local opposition will continue
[Augusta, ME] – Today, SAM and SAM Maine released this statement on the Maine Legislature’s vote to override Governor LePage’s veto on a bill legalizing marijuana. Bill 1719 will now become law, but it is unlikely that Governor LePage will push to start the rule making process to implement commercialization of marijuana.
Scott Gagnon, spokesperson for Smart Approaches to Marijuana Maine (SAM Maine) a project of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action), said:
“We acknowledge the work of the Maine Legislature in incorporating some of our key concerns, such as banning social clubs, limiting the number of plants allowed to 3, and allowing towns to opt-in to marijuana sales (as opposed to opting out). But there are troubling indicators that marijuana legalization is harming states across the country. As recently as this month, a report from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission found that marijuana-impaired driving fatalities more than doubled since the state legalized marijuana.
“SAM Maine will now take the fight to towns and localities of our state, where two-thirds voted against legalization and most of them will continue to be opposed. There are no major medical associations that support legalization of marijuana and we continue to stand with our broad coalition of health care professionals, prevention, treatment, law enforcement, teachers and families who know marijuana commercialization and normalization are wrong for Maine.”
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