Successful Maine Legalization Initiative is Most Progressive in the Country
In yesterday’s election eight out of nine statewide cannabis initiatives came out victorious. Among them, Maine’s Question 1 stands out as being the most progressive.
Prior to this election four states legalized cannabis, all of them with a one ounce limit. Yesterday’s successful initiatives in California, Massachusetts and Nevada adopted this same limit. Maine, however, allows for the possession of 250% this amount; 2.5 ounces. This clearly demonstrates that voters – at least in some states – are willing to accept a limit higher than one ounce.
Maine’s Question 1 also has a more liberal cultivation limit than other states. Of the states that allow cultivation (including yesterday’s successful measures), all but one allow six plants to be grown; that one state is Oregon, where four is allowed. Question 1, however, allows six mature plants, 12 immature plants and an unlimited amount of seeds/seedlings.
In Washington D.C. there legalization initiative, approved in 2014, allows the possession of 2.5 ounces, like Question 1, but unlike Question 1 it doesn’t allow cannabis retail outlets and only allows six plants (with no additional immature plants or seedlings allowed).
The full text of Question 1 can be found by clicking here.
Below is an overview of the initiative from the Yes on 1 website:
End marijuana prohibition
The initiative allows adults 21 years of age and older to possess a limited amount of marijuana, grow a limited number of marijuana plants in their homes, and possess the marijuana produced by those plants. It will remain illegal to use marijuana in public.
Regulate marijuana
The initiative establishes a tightly regulated system of licensed marijuana retail stores, cultivation facilities, product-manufacturing facilities, and testing facilities, and it creates rules governing the production, testing, transportation, and sale of marijuana and marijuana-related products (e.g. testing, labeling, and packaging requirements). Cities and towns will have the right to prohibit the operation of marijuana establishments.
Tax marijuana
The initiative enacts a 10% tax on adult-use marijuana sales, which will be used to implement and enforce regulations. Any remaining funds will be used by the legislature to benefit the citizens of Maine. Medical marijuana sales will NOT be subjected to the 10% sales tax.