Cape Officials Concerned About New Marijuana Law

CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Recovery Champions CEO Ken Weber speaks during an open house on Friday.

HYANNIS – With the new recreational marijuana law now in effect in Massachusetts, Cape officials have concerns.

The law, which passed by voters in November took effect on Thursday, and while legal to possess and consume the drug, it’s still illegal to sell.

Residents over the age of 21 can possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana, and grow up to 12 plants per household.

Recovery Champions CEO Ken Weber said that the new law impacts the Cape community.

“Fundamentally, marijuana is a gateway drug and the majority of people we see seeking treatments start with alcohol and marijuana and generally that leads to harder drugs as their disease with addiction progresses,” said Weber.

Lawmakers still need to establish a regulatory framework for the legal selling of marijuana, and don’t expect to see the first legal sales of the drug until sometime in 2018.

Weber said that he’s concerned about what marijuana will do for the state.

According to Weber, The AAA Foundation found that in Washington State there was a 17 percent increase in drug driving field crashes in 2014, which was two years after marijuana was legalized in the state.

“It’s readily available, it’s easy to get, that’s a big concern of ours and then also, marijuana is made into cookies and candy and other things that are really marketed directly to younger people,” said Weber.

Weber added that they will have to wait and see what the impact of the law will be.  

By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter

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