Maine is Legal!

Diggy Smalls

Notorious
That's great news. I'm telling you, I'm leaving NYS and finding a better home where I can have my cannabis and not have to go to a drug dealer to get it. Maybe then I'll finally get to try concentrates!

Marine, here I come to visit! For real though, we are planning a trip for maybe next year.

This is great news for MAINEiacs
 

macbill

Oh No! Mr macbill!!
Staff member
Marijuana law officially approved by just under 4,000 votes

The marijuana legalization initiative passed by a margin of just under 4,000 votes, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap announced Wednesday. The announcement came four days after legalization opponents called off a recount of Question 1. The question had passed on Election Day by a margin of 4,073 votes.

During the two-week recount, Elections Division staff and volunteers recounted ballots from 42 municipalities representing 30 percent of the total votes.


 

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
Leafly has an excellent article on this, with the following bit especially worth reading for anyone who thinks our dumbfuck governor can do anything to stop it:

"As for LePage messing with the outcome of the referendum, Dunlap was dismissive. “The Maine Constitution is clear. The Governor can’t veto a measure approved by the people,” he said. “Signing the proclamation is a ministerial act. If he refuses to sign it, I will.”


https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/maine-recount-ends-legalization-wins
 

nihil

Member, Known Well
Glad to see this happening all. That make 3 east coast states (counting the district of course) legal for recreational. You guys are going to fucking love it. I literally walk a few blocks, select from 20+ strains and am on my way.

And you can grow, that is the important part. Congratulations!
 

BabyFacedFinster

Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing.
This may be where we first see what the Trump administration has in mind. LePage said he will ask Trump what he plans to do before confirming the referendum. Chances are he won't sign because he is a Boss Tweed. If LePage actually signs this within 10 days then that might be a good sign from the feds.

The other sign may first come from the congressional review of Jeff Sessions.

Here is my guess: Trump, Spence, Sessions, Lepage: They let legalization happen, but they constantly try to slow down and fuck with the process every single step of the way. That's your tax dollars at work.

If not for the referendum process, there would be no legalization. We elect politicians to represent us, but yet when the majority of people want something done right, we have to do it ourselves.
 
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mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
mitchgo61,
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NizzyJones

Well-Known Member
Jan. 30 would be 30 days from the 31st, actually.

And I'd guess he signed it because he didn't want the papers writing stories about how he refused to sign it but it didn't make a difference. Would make him look weak.
 
NizzyJones,

Baron23

Well-Known Member
The oh-so brave idiot governor of ours, the big opponent of legalization...signed the bill three days ago. Even though he didn't have to. Even though it would become law without his signature, and he could have at least stuck by his principles. But since when do guys like him have any principles?

January 31, people...

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/01/03/gov-lepage-says-hes-signed-off-on-legal-marijuana/
I'm with you there, brother. If they are a politician, these days it seems that being a completely venal hypocrite is a prime qualification.

Good news is, however, that he did sign it, even if the little prick is now trying to put a moratorium on implementation.

Cheers
 

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
Jan. 30 would be 30 days from the 31st, actually.

And I'd guess he signed it because he didn't want the papers writing stories about how he refused to sign it but it didn't make a difference. Would make him look weak.

But of course anyone who knows the ME constitution knows he was irrelevant to this process. But I'm sure you're right. He's a major idiot.

I'm with you there, brother. If they are a politician, these days it seems that being a completely venal hypocrite is a prime qualification.

Good news is, however, that he did sign it, even if the little prick is now trying to put a moratorium on implementation.

Cheers

Yeah the implementation thing is useless. Sales won't start till 2018 anyway. I can understand local towns putting in a six-month moratorium, but given it's 12 months to selling anyway, what is the point? (Probably trying to look like they are doing something responsible.)

Mass just postponed sales by another six months, putting it into the middle of 2018. So stupid. Make it legal to own, but not available to buy. Where do they think citizens will buy from? Nothing like state governments going out of their way to juice the grey markets. :bang:
 
mitchgo61,

Baron23

Well-Known Member
But of course anyone who knows the ME constitution knows he was irrelevant to this process. But I'm sure you're right. He's a major idiot.



Yeah the implementation thing is useless. Sales won't start till 2018 anyway. I can understand local towns putting in a six-month moratorium, but given it's 12 months to selling anyway, what is the point? (Probably trying to look like they are doing something responsible.)

Mass just postponed sales by another six months, putting it into the middle of 2018. So stupid. Make it legal to own, but not available to buy. Where do they think citizens will buy from? Nothing like state governments going out of their way to juice the grey markets. :bang:
Yep, I saw that about MA also. These dip shit politicians don't simply do not want to accept the will of the citizens of their state....arrogant, privileged, elitist dicks that they are.

The incompetence of state governments (especially mine, in Maryland) actually make me feel better about Federal government competence...and that's about the lowest bar I can think of.

Cheers
 
Baron23,

BabyFacedFinster

Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing.
The prohibitionist legislators in Maine are trying to pass a moratorium that delays the implementation of the law for at least a year.

More fuckheads still at it. It seems like it will never end. So no, not legal yet.
 
BabyFacedFinster,

TeeJay1952

Well-Known Member
As a police officer how can you say "Let me look at my calendar, You are under arrest!" Or as a Judge sentence anyone for something that won't be a crime on after a certain date? Not to mention border towns.
I foresee wandering packs of unemployed prison guards, DEA agents, Court employees and of course reduced police because of percentage of arrests based on weed.:myday:
 

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
The prohibitionist legislators in Maine are trying to pass a moratorium that delays the implementation of the law for at least a year.

More fuckheads still at it. It seems like it will never end. So no, not legal yet.

The talked-about moratorium applies only to retail sales, not to when it's officially legal to possess and use. (Same deal as Mass.)

There's been a big push to call our local legislatures to voice our opposition to this effort to slow retail sales. Hopefully everyone makes a few calls. I know I did!
 
mitchgo61,
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BabyFacedFinster

Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing.
IDK @mitchgo61

I am just following the news in the states, but some news reports are claiming that there are a few key politicians who want to delay the whole thing. I hope it doesn't come to be, but it's hard figuring out stupid.

You might have better information than me.
 
BabyFacedFinster,

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
IDK @mitchgo61

I am just following the news in the states, but some news reports are claiming that there are a few key politicians who want to delay the whole thing. I hope it doesn't come to be, but it's hard figuring out stupid.

You might have better information than me.

I do have some concrete info. As I said, the delay was about retail sales, not legality of possession, which becomes law on Jan 30.

http://stateandcapitol.bangordailyn...gree-on-deal-to-delay-parts-of-marijuana-law/
 
mitchgo61,

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
Looks like they will need a 2/3 vote to even pass this proposed bill. I hope it flops, but it looks like it is bipartisan.

Very unlikely to pass. The House is democratic. They couldn't even get the OUI law to pass (good thing too, it sets an extremely dangerous precedent in WA and CO). In the meantime our local activists are up in arms, mostly over the "private residence" change. A lot of local reps are getting calls. My local (Dem) rep just got one from me....thankfully she's on this "emergency" panel.
 

Baron23

Well-Known Member
Very unlikely to pass. The House is democratic. They couldn't even get the OUI law to pass (good thing too, it sets an extremely dangerous precedent in WA and CO). In the meantime our local activists are up in arms, mostly over the "private residence" change. A lot of local reps are getting calls. My local (Dem) rep just got one from me....thankfully she's on this "emergency" panel.
@mitchgo61 - can you please expand on "private residence" change? What is the issue at hand, please?
 
Baron23,

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
@mitchgo61 - can you please expand on "private residence" change? What is the issue at hand, please?

Unfortunately it's a little ambiguous. The original law passed by referendum says using weed is legal in "non-public places". This new potential law changes it to being legal only in "private residences". (I assume this is just part of the delay/moratorium feature, not a perpetual change.) It's not super-obvious to me what the distinction is, but some people on the pro-legalization side are taking it to mean you cannot use weed in your own backyard, because although it's "non-public" per the original law, it might not be considered a "private residence" per the proposed changes.

The ambiguity alone will probably sink that bit of the proposed law; it's very difficult to enforce or even parse.
 
mitchgo61,
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grokit

well-worn member
What about private clubs vs. public facilities, with shades of gray in between? For example, can a bowling alley have an adult lounge area for consumption like a bar, or a beer garden? Add vaping as opposed to smoking, and you have a very debatable dynamic that will become more complicated in the future.

:sherlock:
 
grokit,

BabyFacedFinster

Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing.
Social clubs are part of the legalization, but if this bill passes, people would not be able to apply for license to become a social club until Feb 2018. I don't believe that other things like alcohol can be served in the clubs.

The people pushing this bill have attached a clause that affirms that no one under 21 can possess without penalty. Everyone agrees on this and so they are trying to ride the crappy part of the bill through on the back of the agreeable changes.
 
BabyFacedFinster,

NizzyJones

Well-Known Member
You're correct - the social clubs will not be allowed to sell cigarettes or alcohol. Only weed and edibles (for consumption on premises), non-consumable merchandise, "marijuana accessories", and food.
 
NizzyJones,
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