Last month, two Massachusetts legislators were tasked with rewriting the state's newly-approved recreational marijuana law. Yes on 4, who sponsored the ballot initiative that legalized recreational weed, is now urging legislators to leave the law unchanged. Yes on 4 spokesman Jim Borghesani has accused lawmakers of creating a “false narrative” that the current voter-approved measure is flawed. "The new law requires no legislative fixes," he said.
The state legislature was supposed to appoint a three-member Cannabis Control Commission to serve as the regulatory body for recreational marijuana. The deadline to appoint the commission was March 1st, but the state legislature voted to delay this, and other key deadlines contained in the law, by six months. Borghesani has recommended that instead of re-writing the new law, the state should appoint the committee and allow them to recommend any necessary changes.
State legislative leaders appear committed to re-writing the legislation, however. "It's not our intention to undermine the will of the voters, it's our intention to get it right," Senate President Stan Rosenberg said. Governor Charlie Baker said that officials in states that have already legalized recreational cannabis recommended that Massachusetts take the time to get the regulations in order. "Almost to a person they said you should make sure you have enough time to set this thing up in such a way that you're not constantly chasing it," he said.
