The election has taken over every facet of life over the past few weeks; you can barely scroll Facebook without seeing some kind of Trump/Hillary argument and conversations surrounding the candidates are hard to avoid. Although the presidential election is an important time for the U.S., no one is giving the ballot questions the attention they deserve. On November 8th in the state of Massachusetts, residents will be voting on Question 4: the legalization of marijuana. If this law passes, the sale of marijuana to people over the age of 21, the cultivation of marijuana, and the taxation on commercial sales would be legalized. Although this is an important decision that a lot of millennials care about, it seems the candidates have taken over the conversations, so here's what you need to know.
Many think that legalizing marijuana will do more harm than good. Opponents of Question 4 believe that legalizing marijuana will increase the overall drug use of citizens considering the opioid epidemic that the nation is already facing. They also believe that it will result in unexpected health consequences, such as overdoses, in young children who are going to be attracted to edibles and that it will allow dispensaries to operate in the vicinity of schools and daycares.
Proponents of Question 4, however, have denounced these concerns. Not only is it impossible to overdose on marijuana, but the law will not attract young children to edibles. Only those who are over the age of 21 will be allowed to purchase edible marijuana products with proper identification. In fact, legalizing marijuana will most likely make it harder for young people to get it; most of it will be coming from dispensaries, not dealers who grow it themselves. Also, regulating marijuana will decrease the chances of it being laced with another, more potent drug. As far as dispensaries operating close to childcare facilities and schools, it is just a store. Being high in public and operating under the influence will still be illegal.
So the answer is clear: vote YES on Question 4 and start talking about it! For more information on Question 4 and other Massachusetts ballot questions, visit this site.
