Marijuana is Now Legal in Maine as Question 1 Takes Effect

PORTLAND, ME — A voter-approved initiative to end marijuana prohibition in Maine officially takes effect today, making it legal for adults 21 and older to possess and grow limited amounts of marijuana.

“Maine voters made it clear that it’s time to end the failed and costly policy of punishing adults for their choice to responsibly use marijuana,” said Alysia Melnick, an attorney with the Yes on 1 campaign. “This is a win for personal privacy, personal…

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Marijuana Possession Officially Becomes Legal in Maine on Monday

PORTLAND, ME — A voter-approved initiative to legalize marijuana in Maine will officially take effect on Monday, making it legal for adults 21 and older to possess and grow limited amounts of marijuana.

“The era of marijuana prohibition in Maine is finally coming to an end,” said David Boyer, Maine political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, who served as campaign manager for the Yes on 1 campaign. “Responsible adult marijuana consumers will no longer…

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Bill Filed to Delay Maine’s Marijuana Legalization Law

AUGUSTA, ME — Bipartisan lawmakers in Maine have filed a bill that would delay most of the implementation of Question 1, which legalized marijuana in Maine, by over a year.

The bill, House Bill 88, was introduced Wednesday by state Rep.  Louis Luchini (D-Ellsworth) and Senate President Michael Thibodeau (R-Winterport).

The proposal would delay the implementation of most of Question 1 until February 1, 2018, including establishing a framework for a retail cannabis industry in…

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Maine: Recount Effort Halted, Question 1 Victory Stands

The group opposing Maine’s marijuana legalization initiative has withdrawn its recount effort.

Last month, representatives from ‘No on 1’ requested a recount of the vote totals specific to Question 1: The Marijuana Legalization Act. On Saturday, the campaign conceded that the recount would not impact the Election Day result, which estimated Question 1 winning by slightly over 4,000 votes.

The measure is now expected to be enacted 30 days after Gov. Paul…

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Marijuana Legalization Opponents Drop Maine Question 1 Recount

AUGUSTA, ME — Opponents of Maine’s Question 1, which was narrowly approved by voters in November, dropped their recount request on Saturday.  With the recount challenge dropped, marijuana will become legal for adults 21 or older to possess early next year.

The recount had been underway for two weeks, with no significant change to the vote tally for either side.  Had opponents not withdrawn their request, the recount could have taken up to a month to complete, leaving…

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Maine Governor Wants to ‘Get Rid’ of Medical Marijuana Program

Maine Governor Paul LePage (R). LePage said after the election that he intends to ask President-elect Donald Trump to enforce federal marijuana laws in Maine to prevent the state from legalizing marijuana.

Maine’s Republican Governor Paul LePage has never been a fan of marijuana reform, and on Thursday he suggested that the state’s medical marijuana program should be eliminated now that voters have approved legalizing recreational marijuana.

Speaking on the Portland’s 

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Maine Marijuana Legalization Recount Update: No Significant Change; ‘Colossal’ Waste of Time & Money, Supporters Say

AUGUSTA, ME — As the recount on Maine’s Question 1 enters it’s seventh day with no significant changes to the election results, supporters of the voter-approved measure are once again calling on opponents to drop the recount, calling it a waste of taxpayers’ money.

So far, the recount has not uncovered any evidence of election fraud, or any indication that continuing to recount will make any meaningful difference in the election total.

As of Tuesday morning, over 150,000…

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Maine Marijuana Legalization Vote Recount to Begin Monday

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AUGUSTA, ME — A formal recount of the results of Question 1, which legalizes marijuana in Maine, is set to begin Monday and will take four to six weeks and cost taxpayers up to half a million dollars, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Maine was one of four states where voters approved measures to legalize the adult, recreational use of marijuana on election day.  Prohibitionist opponents of Qustion 1 requested the recount after unofficial results showed the…

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Voters In Eight States Approve Marijuana Law Reform In Unprecedented Election Victories

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WASHINGTON, DC — Millions of Americans cast votes on Election Day in favor of sweeping statewide marijuana law reforms.

Voters in four states: California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada approved ballot measures legalizing the adult use of cannabis and licensing its commercial production and retail sale. Voters in four additional states: Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota approved initiatives legalizing and/or expanding the use and dispensing of cannabis for therapeutic…

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Four States End Marijuana Prohibition, Three Adopt Medical Marijuana Laws in Historic Election

Election-2016

WASHINGTON — California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada voted to end marijuana prohibition and Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota adopted medical marijuana laws Tuesday in the most momentous election to date for marijuana policy reform.

Montana approved an initiative to re-establish patients’ access to medical marijuana providers, which was hindered by state lawmakers, and create a more regulated system of medical marijuana production and distribution.

As of 4:30…

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Maine Voters Legalize Marijuana for Adult Use

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PORTLAND, Maine — Maine voters have approved Question 1, a ballot measure to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adult use. The Yes on 1 campaign will hold a news conference today at 11 a.m. in front of Portland City Hall (389 Congress Street) to discuss the next steps and timeline for implementing the initiative.

Question 1 makes possession and home-growing of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older; it creates a tightly controlled…

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Marijuana Wins Big on Election Night

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This Election Day was a watershed moment for the movement to end marijuana prohibition, with the results expected to accelerate efforts to legalize marijuana in states across the U.S., at the federal level, and internationally.  Overall, legalization initiatives prevailed in four out of five states, and medical marijuana initiatives prevailed in all four states this year.

Votes are still being counted for legalization initiatives in Maine and Arizona, as well as for a medical…

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Latest Polling Information for the 2016 Marijuana Related Ballot Proposals

Election-2016

On Tuesday, November 8, nine states will be voting on marijuana related ballot proposals potentially doubling the number of states that allow the recreational use of marijuana and expanding the therapeutic benefits of marijuana use to millions of Americans. Here’s where these measures stand in the latest polls.

Arizona: According to an October Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite poll, 50 percent of registered voters in Arizona favor Proposition 205 and 42 percent oppose it. The…

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Election 2016: Marijuana Law Reform Takes Center Stage

Election-2016

This Election Day is shaping up to be a watershed moment for efforts to end marijuana prohibition, with five states voting on marijuana legalization and four more on medical marijuana. The results are expected to have major ramifications for marijuana law reform in states across the U.S., at the federal level, and even internationally.

A recent nationwide Gallup poll found that a record 60 percent of respondents support legalizing marijuana, but polls on this year’s…

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Gallup: Record High Percentage Of Americans Back Legalizing Marijuana

Marijuana grows legally in Colorado. (Brett Levin via Flickr)

Marijuana grows legally in Colorado. (Brett Levin via Flickr)

Sixty percent of Americans believe that “the use of marijuana should be legal,” according to nationwide polling data released Wednesday by Gallup. The percentage is the highest level of support ever reported by the polling group, and represents more than a doubling in public support over the past two decades.

The data closely follows the release of polling data compiled by the Pew Research Center showing…

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Marijuana Legalization: Recreational Use Initiatives Leading In Latest Polls

Marijuana Legalization: Recreational Use Initiatives Leading In Latest Polls

WASHINGTON, DC — Voters are supportive of five pending ballot measures that seek to regulate the adult use and sale of marijuana, according to recent polling data compiled in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada.

Half of Arizona voters intend to vote ‘yes’ in favor of Proposition 205: The Arizona Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana Act, according to an Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll. Forty percent of voters oppose the initiative. The Act allows adults age 21 and older to possess and to privately…

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Marijuana Legalization Initiatives Leading In Latest Polls

Marijuana Legalization Initiatives Leading In Latest Polls

Voters favor legalizing the adult use of cannabis in the five states where the issue will appear on the ballot this Election Day. Here is a summary of the latest polling data.

ARIZONA: Half of Arizona voters intend to vote ‘yes’ in favor of Proposition 205: The Arizona Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana Act, according to an Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll. Forty percent of voters oppose the initiative. The Act allows adults age 21 and older to possess and to privately consume and grow limited amounts of marijuana (up…

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Poll Finds Majority of Maine Voters Support Marijuana Legalization Question 1

Poll Finds Majority of Maine Voters Support Marijuana Legalization Question 1

Maine is one of five states voting on legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in November.

PORTLAND, ME — Maine voters are likely to approve Question 1 in November, which will legalize the adult use of marijuana in the state, according to the results of the latest poll.

According to the Portland Press Herald poll released Monday, 53% of statewide voters support.  Only 38% of voters were opposed.

“Every indication so far has been moving in favor of legalization (nationally) and I think that is indicated by the large number of states…

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After Nearly 80 Years of Marijuana Prohibition, the Tide is Turning

After Nearly 80 Years of Marijuana Prohibition, the Tide is Turning

As marijuana legalization gains traction across the country, some ask “Why now?” A better question perhaps is “How did this prohibition ever last so long?”

People have always suffered the compulsion to hunt scapegoats, and politicians are more than happy to pander to our harshest instincts. With two world wars and the Cold War, the 20th Century in particular, was a time of fear, with a hunger for social control and conformity. The malignant belief of the Communists and other totalitarians in the perfectibility of humanity at any…

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