SENATE DOCKET, NO. 792        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1060

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

William N. Brownsberger, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the repeal of the Citizen Referendum Law on marijuana.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 792        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1060

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to the repeal of the Citizen Referendum Law on marijuana.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

1.WHEREAS, by public referendum on November 8, 2016 in accord with the Massachusetts Constitution, citizen in the Commonwealth voted in the affirmative to approve the legal use, consumption and ingestion of certain amounts of the drug marijuana;

2.WHEREAS, decriminalization of marijuana use does not eliminate other forms of criminal behavior or civil infractions;

3.WHEREAS, the use of marijuana will, in fact, increase criminal activity and civil wrong-doing;

4.WHEREAS, marijuana is a mind-altering drug that directly affects the brain, the reflexes and the human thought process and its use is highly addictive;

5.WHEREAS, the medical and psychological effects and uncertain human behavior as to action and intent of any person using, consuming and ingesting marijuana will be present in the Commonwealth and pose a threat to the safety of all persons, property and animals;

6.WHEREAS, the use of marijuana, legalized by the passage of the referendum law on November 8, 2016 will substantially increase in the workplace, in homes, on the roadways, in public transportation, and in all public and private spaces and offices;

7.WHEREAS, the Massachusetts Legislature, along with the Executive and Judicial Branches of government in the Commonwealth have both an implicit and explicit obligation to protect citizens under the Massachusetts Constitution and its Preamble, from all foreseen dangers;

NOW, THEREFORE, it being established that legalizing the use of marijuana in the Commonwealth by voters was a mistake; it will increase  unwanted criminal and civil wrong-doing and as a result will place many innocent citizens, including young children, in imminent danger with regard to medical, health, financial, family, physical, mental and social conditions:

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, that the Citizen Referendum Law approving the use of Marijuana in the Commonwealth on November 8, 2016 is HEREBY REPEALED in its entirety.