'Rush' Not Expected at City's First Facility Today's opening of the city's first pot shop in Downtown Crossing could be a mellow affair, with the owners predicting the dispensary will draw a few dozen customers with medical marijuana cards per day in its initial weeks, before slowly increasing to 90 to 100 daily customers. "We don't expect a rush the way you think about for recreational facilities," said Columbia Care CEO Nicholas Vita, whose nationwide company oversees the Massachusetts facility Patriot Care, at 21 Milk St. [continues 293 words]
NEWBURYPORT -- Area law enforcement officials are waiting for the Legislature to clarify the new decriminalization of marijuana, but they said the new law would likely cause confusion. "It raises a lot more questions," said District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, who was treasurer for a political action committee that opposed passage of the new law. Blodgett and area police officials said the new law, which will make possession of less than an ounce of marijuana a civil offense punishable by fine instead of a misdemeanor, introduces complications for officers. State voters approved by a 2-to-1 ratio a ballot question to change the law, but the state Legislature will ultimately write and pass the law. Rep. Mike Costello, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, was unavailable for comment. [continues 412 words]
NEWBURYPORT - Area voters joined the rest of the state in approving by a 2-1 ratio a measure to decriminalize marijuana, according to unofficial ballot results last night. Question 2, which asked voters to decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana to a civil offense punishable by a $100 fine for people over 18, passed in the area by about 30,400 votes to 15,300, including a 7,200 to 3,500 margin in Newburyport, a 5,800 to 2,600 margin in Amesbury and a 2,800 to 1,400 margin in Salisbury. The measure will go into effect four weeks after the election is certified by the secretary of state. [continues 461 words]
NEWBURYPORT -- If you're caught going 80 mph on Interstate 95, you'll likely get off with a ticket and a fine. And if a ballot measure passes this Nov. 4, a similar penalty would await those possessing small amounts of marijuana. A yes vote on Question 2 would decriminalize the current penalty for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana from a potential maximum of six months in jail and a $500 fine to a $100 fine and no criminal record. The question will appear on all Massachusetts ballots. [continues 566 words]
