Legislature considering changes to legal marijuana law

BOSTON — It's only about two months old, but the legislature is discussing a rewrite of the state's new marijuana law.

Many pro-marijuana voters are outraged, but Senate President Stanley Rosenberg says they should have expected this.

However, Yes on 4 supporters say these proposed changes that the legislature is talking about violates voter’s rights.

“This is a review and revision exercise and ideas are being put on the table,” said Senate President Stanley Rosenberg.

The legislature's six-month delay on marijuana shops could just be the beginning; Rosenberg told FOX25 that the legislature is also considering:

• Increase significantly the marijuana tax rate
• Lower the 12-plant-per-household limit on home growing marijuana
• Raise the legal age from 21 for purchase, possession, and use

"The tax rate is the lowest in the country of all of those operating now and there's a serious question as to whether that's going to be enough money to run the system,” said Rosenberg.

In every single state, the revenue has been far above projections and has easily covered the implementation of the new law.

Pro-legalization advocates like Jim Borghsani are outraged and said the legislature is deliberately going against voters' rights. The senate president said safety is the major concern.

"The amount of material that will be produced is substantially larger than two individuals could actually use in their home, and so the concern is whether or not that would create what they call a grey market,” Rosenberg said.

Borghesani disagrees. 

"It's actually a very modest amount. There should be no fear whatsoever it's going to contribute to the elicit market," he said.

Other potential pot legislation changes could include:

• Restrictions on weed-infused edibles
• Give cities and towns more control over pot shops restrictions on edibles
• A legal standard for driving under the influence of pot

"This system is set up as a regulated system. We created the Cannabis Control Commission to come up with all of the rules, all the regulations that will govern the industry,” said Borghesani.

It's still early in the session and a special committee who would address these marijuana law changes has not been formed yet. But both the house and the senate have vowed to work together on this.

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