News

Marijuana supporters plan to back Senate bill rewrite

BOSTON — Supporters of the legalization of recreational marijuana are throwing their support behind the Massachusetts Senate’s bill qualifying what the voters passed, while condemning the House’s version.

After voters overwhelmingly chose to legalize recreational marijuana across the Commonwealth, lawmakers took to re-writing the bill as part of an effort to clarify the regulation of the drug.

"The Senate respected the will of the voters by engaging in a transparent and collaborative process that yielded slight changes targeting municipal and legislative concerns,” Yes on 4 spokesperson Jim Borghesani said. “The House bill doesn't respect the will of the voters at all; in fact, it repeals the will of the voters."

The Yes on 4 campaign championed the legalization of recreational marijuana and its organizers plan to endorse the Senate’s rewritten bill clarifying its restrictions and regulations Monday.

Leaders of the Yes on 4 campaign will formally make their announcement Monday at 11:30 a.m. outside the Committee on Marijuana Policy meeting.

MORE: New marijuana growing culture predicted to explode in Massachusetts