By Madeleine Pearce
Boston University Statehouse Program
Last month marked five years since Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana, but state lawmakers find themselves weeding through proposed restrictions on a product that researchers say can harm the health of youths.
On a 2016 ballot question, Massachusetts residents approved legalization, joining California, Maine and Nevada voters in doing so that year. Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon previously had legalized recreational marijuana.
Under the Massachusetts law, adults older than 21 are permitted to use, grow and sell marijuana in limited quantities without legal consequences. The state began allowing licensed recreational sales in 2018, bringing 14 recreational dispensaries, out of a total of 165 in the state as of Sept. 1, to Berkshire County.
But, some state lawmakers are proposing restrictions. State Rep. James O’Day, D-Worcester, has proposed raising the minimum age for recreational use to 25, citing a desire to keep young people safe. Separately, state Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich, filed a bill to limit serving sizes, flavors and levels of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Gov. Charlie Baker had expressed concerns when he signed the legalization bill into law in 2017.
“I don’t support this,” Baker said. “I worry terribly about what the consequences over time will be … [but] the people voted this, and I think it’s really important that we put the program in place and deliver a workable, safe, productive recreational marijuana market for them in Massachusetts.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that marijuana “may harm the developing teen brain,” which, it says, “often will not be fully developed until the mid-20s.” It lists negative effects on attention, memory and learning as possibilities.
“Frankly, it’s a lot easier to confuse a 19-year-old with a 21-year-old than it is to confuse a 19-year-old with a 25-year-old,” O’Day said.
“I’m in personal long-term recovery,” he added. “If you never pick up a substance, you’re far less likely to develop a dependency on a life-altering substance.”
The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics reports that teens in Massachusetts are 33.7 percent more likely to have used drugs within the past month than the average American teen, a number that concerns supporters of more marijuana restrictions.
Hill’s bill would target the rising THC levels in marijuana. In the early 1990s, the average amount was less than 4 percent, but the average amount in 2018 was above 15 percent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Two lawmakers have co-sponsored the bill, while no lawmaker yet has signed on to O’Day’s bill.
Other proposals heard Dec. 1 included setting a minimum age of 21 for marijuana-related events, requiring more thorough labeling of marijuana products and creating a marijuana “open-container” law.
Most testimony, however, concerned the bills from Hill and O’Day.
Theresa Hoggins, a mother who attended the Dec. 1 hearing on the legislation, said her teenage son had been “seriously harmed” by cannabis use, referring to psychosis and addiction.
“Like many teens across Massachusetts, my teen was offered cannabis for the first time at a high school party,” Hoggins said. “I love my child. It’s heartbreaking to watch my child suffer and feel helpless.”
While a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association links legal marijuana with teens’ increased use of the drug, a separate study, in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found no correlation between legalization and teen consumption.
The studies might draw different conclusions on the effects of legalization on youths, but some medical professionals believe that more regulation would benefit teens in the long run.
Dr. Safdar Medina, a pediatric medicine specialist in Uxbridge, said cannabis can affect youths’ mental and physical health, citing worsening symptoms of depression, anxiety and increased chances of respiratory issues.
“There is an urgency to protect our children now,” Medina said.
This story has been modified to remove comments from the director of the Massachusetts Grower Advocacy Council, which were taken out of context.
This article originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle.
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Regarding “The Children”,
Let’s not use “The Children” as an excuse to prohibit and criminalize adult use of a natural plant far less dangerous than perfectly legal alcohol because nobody condones child use, and this is about allowing adults only to choose cannabis.
It’s our responsibility as parents by to educate our children on drug use. It’s not the government’s job to force Draconian cannabis Laws upon every adult citizen under the guise of protecting “The Children”.
What message are we sending our children when it is easier for them to obtain cannabis now with it being illegal than it is for them to buy alcohol?
It doesn’t take the intellect of a genius to understand that stores card kids for I.D. Thugs and gang members do not. They also push the real hard drugs on children. Stores do not.
Cannabis legalization will make it harder for children to obtain it.
What message does it send our children when several of the Presidents of The United States themselves alongside a long list of successful people openly admit regular pot use at one time or another in their lives?
While we tell our kids how it will ruin their futures, and then ensure so, by allowing our government to to jail our children and give them permanent criminal records when they get caught with a little cannabis. Especially, if they are the wrong skin color or from the “wrong neighborhood”. Which in turn, ruins their chances of employment for life.
The Prohibition of cannabis is the wrong message to send our children while we glorify, advertise and promote the much more dangerous use of alcohol like it’s an all American pastime.
The worst thing about cannabis and our children is what happens to them when they get caught up in the criminal justice system due to it’s prohibition.
Protect “The Children” and Our Neighborhoods Through The Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis Nationwide!
Thank you Brian for your rational and thoughtful contribution to this conversation.
These bills, especially the potency limits, may sound good to the uninformed but do nothing to “protect the children” from black market sellers and would do great harm to patients and adult consumers alike.
Shame on the Prohibitionists who refuse to understand what cannabis is and what it can do for the human body. Yes it can be abused which is why it is not legal for those under 21.
Cannabis consumers deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws that are currently afforded to the drinkers of far more dangerous and deadly, yet perfectly legal, widely accepted, endlessly advertised and even glorified as an All-American pastime, alcohol.
Plain and simple!
Legalize Nationwide!
There is absolutely no doubt now that the majority of Americans want to completely legalize cannabis nationwide. Our numbers grow on a daily basis.
The prohibitionist view on cannabis is the viewpoint of a minority and rapidly shrinking percentage of Americans. It is based upon decades of lies and propaganda.
Each and every tired old lie they have propagated has been thoroughly proven false by both science and society.
Their tired old rhetoric no longer holds any validity. The vast majority of Americans have seen through the sham of cannabis prohibition in this day and age. The number of prohibitionists left shrinks on a daily basis.
With their credibility shattered, and their not so hidden agendas visible to a much wiser public, what’s left for a cannabis prohibitionist to do?
Maybe, just come to terms with the fact that Cannabis Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that’s approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think, and there is nothing they can do to stop it!
Legalize Nationwide!…and Support All Cannabis Legalization Efforts!
[…] By Madeleine Pearce, the BU News Service […]
[…] By Madeleine Pearce, the BU News ServiceDecember 22, 2021Last month marked five years since Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana, but state lawmakers find themselves weeding through proposed restrictions on a product that researchers say can harm the health of youths.On a 2016 ballot question, Massachusetts residents approved legalization, joining California, Maine and Nevada voters in doing so that year. Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon previously had legalized recreational marijuana.Under the Massachusetts law, adults older than 21 are permitted to use, grow and sell marijuana in limited quantities without legal consequences. The state began allowing licensed recreational sales in 2018, bringing 14 recreational dispensaries, out of a total of 165 in the state as of Sept. 1, to Berkshire County.But, some state lawmakers are proposing restrictions. State Rep. James O’Day, D-Worcester, has proposed raising the minimum age for recreational use to 25, citing a desire to keep young people safe. Separately, state Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich, filed a bill to limit serving sizes, flavors and levels of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.Gov. Charlie Baker had expressed concerns when he signed the legalization bill into law in 2017.“I don’t support this,” Baker said. “I worry terribly about what the consequences over time will be … [but] the people voted this, and I think it’s really important that we put the program in place and deliver a workable, safe, productive recreational marijuana market for them in Massachusetts.”The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that marijuana “may harm the developing teen brain,” which, it says, “often will not be fully developed until the mid-20s.” It lists negative effects on attention, memory and learning as possibilities.“Frankly, it’s a lot easier to confuse a 19-year-old with a 21-year-old than it is to confuse a 19-year-old with a 25-year-old,” O’Day said.“I’m in personal long-term recovery,” he added. “If you never pick up a substance, you’re far less likely to develop a dependency on a life-altering substance.”The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics reports that teens in Massachusetts are 33.7 percent more likely to have used drugs within the past month than the average American teen, a number that concerns supporters of more marijuana restrictions.Hill’s bill would target the rising THC levels in marijuana. In the early 1990s, the average amount was less than 4 percent, but the average amount in 2018 was above 15 percent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Two lawmakers have co-sponsored the bill, while no lawmaker yet has signed on to O’Day’s bill.Other proposals heard Dec. 1 included setting a minimum age of 21 for marijuana-related events, requiring more thorough labeling of marijuana products and creating a marijuana “open-container” law.Most testimony, however, concerned the bills from Hill and O’Day.Theresa Hoggins, a mother who attended the Dec. 1 hearing on the legislation, said her teenage son had been “seriously harmed” by cannabis use, referring to psychosis and addiction.“Like many teens across Massachusetts, my teen was offered cannabis for the first time at a high school party,” Hoggins said. “I love my child. It’s heartbreaking to watch my child suffer and feel helpless.”While a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association links legal marijuana with teens’ increased use of the drug, a separate study, in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found no correlation between legalization and teen consumption.The studies might draw different conclusions on the effects of legalization on youths, but some medical professionals believe that more regulation would benefit teens in the long run.Dr. Safdar Medina, a pediatric medicine specialist in Uxbridge, said cannabis can affect youths’ mental and physical health, citing worsening symptoms of depression, anxiety and increased chances of respiratory issues.“There is an urgency to protect our children now,” Medina said.This story has been modified to remove comments from the director of the Massachusetts Grower Advocacy Council, which were taken out of context.This article originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle.BU News Service, an award-winning news site, is produced by Boston University journalism students. For more coverage of the Boston area visit bunewsservice.com […]