In addition to voting for a presidential candidate on November 9th, Massachusetts residents will vote on a ballot question about the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Polls say the Bay State is leaning towards legalization, which raises a question: what would legal recreational marijuana look like in Massachusetts?
Andrew Freedman joined BPR to talk about this question; he’s the Director of Marijuana Coordination for the state of Colorado, which legalized recreational pot with a ballot question in 2012.
Freedman offered a word of advice to Massachusetts voters, saying they should focus on the tangible effects of marijuana legalization.
“I think the big debate on this should become the values of being a tax-and-regulate system, with the safety that comes from that, with the resources that come from that, with not having to incarcerate people,” he said. “And the harms that might come from people trying to make more money off of marijuana using commercial airwaves.”
Freedman pointed out that a major improvement in Colorado has come as a result of legalization: fewer arrests.
“We are actually arresting fewer people for marijuana possession -- about an 80 percent decrease in the first year alone,” said Freedman.
He also explained the measures that have been taken to prevent problems caused by recreational pot. For example, lawmakers are working with police departments to combat high driving.
“We’ve recently passed more driving-while-high-on-marijuana laws, and we’ve also trained our officers more on being able to recognize when that’s happening,” said Freedman.
He also discussed how proliferation of edibles has posed some regulatory challenges like preventing overdose, accidental ingestion, and consumption by children.
Freedman’s office has prohibited edibles in the shapes of fruit, people, and animals to dissuade kids from eating them.
“There’s just no reason to have it in the shape of a gummy bear or what looks like kid’s candy in a kid’s candy store,” said Freedman.
He believes the new laws and regulations will help Colorado residents use pot safely.
“We’re moving in a good direction in that way,” he said.
To hear Andrew Freedman's interview in its entirety, click on the audio link above.
