Massachusetts voters today approved Question 4, the ballot initiative to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana. The following statement may be attributed to Whitney A. Taylor, political director of the ACLU of Massachusetts.
"In today's historic vote on Question 4, the people of Massachusetts have roundly rejected the pointless and costly war on marijuana, which dates all the way back to the early 1900s and has its roots in xenophobia and racism. More than one hundred years after the war on drugs began, Bay Staters have considered the empirical evidence and voted in favor of sensible marijuana policy.
"The important task in front of us is implementing the will of the voters and creating safe, legal access to marijuana by adults. We must ensure that elected officials who opposed Question 4 do not use their influence to dismantle, hinder, or reject what the voters demanded on Election Day. The ACLU of Massachusetts is dedicated to ensuring the will of the voters is implemented and that we do not allow political biases to interfere with the job entrusted to elected officials."
Question 4 will take effect on December 15, 2016, and will allow adults 21 and over to legally use marijuana in their homes and other private venues. The regulatory system for legal marijuana sales and production will be built by the Cannabis Control Commission and the Cannabis Advisory Board established by Question 4 and must be completed by January 1, 2018.
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