{"id":1529,"date":"2022-02-06T22:59:54","date_gmt":"2022-02-06T22:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/?p=1086"},"modified":"2022-02-06T22:59:54","modified_gmt":"2022-02-06T22:59:54","slug":"recreational-marijuana-possession-massachusetts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/drug-crimes\/recreational-marijuana-possession-massachusetts\/","title":{"rendered":"Recreational Marijuana May Be Legal in Massachusetts, But You Can Still Get a Possession Charge"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022 may see the most significant push for states to legalize marijuana. Most states without reformed cannabis measures have campaigns, proposals, or bills moving through the Senate to legalize medical marijuana.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"402\" data-end=\"621\">While most of the country seems on board to legalize marijuana, some <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/practice-areas\/drug-offense-lawyer\/\" target=\"_new\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"471\" data-end=\"566\">recreational marijuana laws<\/a> could still lead to drug possession charges or worse.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Did Recreational Marijuana Become Legal?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like most states, Massachusetts began <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mpp.org\/states\/massachusetts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">legalizing cannabis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through decriminalization in 2008. When legislation made medical marijuana accessible in 2012, passing the new law was controversial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Towns across Massachusetts attempted to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/metro\/2013\/01\/02\/mass-towns-regulators-brace-for-medical-marijuana\/sIOgZ8eTRDOzGnIbdrhlaJ\/story.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ban dispensaries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Members of the community spoke out at City Hall meetings against dispensaries, urging mayors to ban them altogether. In their mind, marijuana posed a threat amid the Opioid Epidemic. As a \u201cgateway drug,\u201d citizens were fearful having easy access to marijuana would exacerbate the state\u2019s drug problem. Once cities and towns began to issue bans, Attorney General Martha M. Coakley stepped in to protect the rights of dispensaries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2016 saw a landmark ballot initiative to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/massachusetts-law-about-recreational-marijuana\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">legalize recreational marijuana<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with restrictions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individuals 21 and up may purchase and possess 1 ounce at a time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the way home, make sure the ounce is locked up and not visible<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Households may store ten ounces or less unless harvested from personal crops<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though it cannot be visible from the street, households may grow marijuana plants<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One-adult households may grow 6 plants or less<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2-adult households are allowed up to 12 plants<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite restraints, the Massachusetts marijuana industry boomed in a short time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the Massachusetts Marijuana Industry Worth?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the first time in history, the commonwealth of Massachusetts collected more marijuana excise taxes than alcohol. According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/masscannabiscontrol.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/01202022_Presentation_Public_Meeting.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cannabis Control Commission<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in 2021:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The commonwealth collected over $112 million from recreational marijuana sales<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gross marijuana sales were nearly $1 billion\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total cannabis sales since legalization have reached $2.54 billion<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The growth was 206% higher than officials projected. The Commission, a Massachusetts organization that monitors dispensaries, has worked tirelessly to balance curating an adult-use marketplace and maintaining public health and safety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marijuana tourism has also skyrocketed. A simple google search will see page after page of travel blogs dedicated to \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cannabis tourism<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d Cannabis tourism is a subculture of travel involving more than consumption. Visitors engage in roughly the same leisure activities expected of a wine enthusiast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Websites like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.budandbreakfast.com\/cannabis-tourism\/#:~:text=Cannabis%20tourism%20is%20the%20process,cannabis%20tours%20and%20educational%20seminars.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bud and Breakfast<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> capitalize on tourism by connecting cannabis users to consumption-friendly hotels and lodgings. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specialty tours<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offer sight-seeing tours paired with exploring different dispensaries. Cannabis is illegal to smoke out in the open in Massachusetts. However, the rise in tourism is pushing for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/berkeleybeacon.com\/massachusetts-must-open-social-cannabis-consumption-spaces\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marijuana-friendly social clubs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and cafes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Can Recreational Marijuana Users Get a Possession Charge?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every state offers various restrictions on marijuana use. As cannabis tourism continues to grow, it is essential to help visitors understand the laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Massachusetts, recreational marijuana has its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Laws\/GeneralLaws\/PartI\/TitleXV\/Chapter94C\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">limits<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/practice-areas\/possession-of-controlled-substance\/\">Possession charges<\/a> can arise if it appears an individual is selling the product. Users may only buy and possess an ounce at a time outside the home. If an individual is found with more than an ounce, it could be considered illegal possession.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most cases, a person would need to be in possession of enough marijuana that it would be reasonable to assume it is for sale. If marijuana is in separate packages, a <a href=\"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/practice-areas\/possession-of-controlled-substance\/\">charge of possession<\/a> is almost guaranteed.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to marijuana\u2019s decriminalization, underage individuals caught in possession of cannabis will receive a civil ticket and must attend a drug education program.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Recreational Cannabis May Be on Fragile Ground<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cannabis industry has enjoyed growth and success since recreational use was legalized. However, some <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.berkshireeagle.com\/state\/massachusetts-marijuana-proposals-in-statehouse-would-increase-restrictions\/article_4171f442-56c2-11ec-931d-c71f1d5e0fa4.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lawmakers in Massachusetts are fearful<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the long-term effects of the accessibility to marijuana, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">State Rep. James O\u2019Day, D-Worcester, recently proposed raising the minimum age for marijuana use to 25.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">State Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich, has filed a bill to limit flavors and levels of T.H.C.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/commonwealthmagazine.org\/drug-addiction\/drugs\/baker-signs-pot-bill-raises-concerns\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Governor Charlie Baker<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> voiced concerns when signing the recreational use law, stating, \u201cI don\u2019t support this; I worry terribly about what the consequences over time will be.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The proposed restrictions focus primarily on teenage users. While it is illegal for teenagers to use marijuana, Massachusetts lawmakers are gaining momentum to implement further restrictions due to fears caused by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/massachusetts-responds-to-the-opioid-epidemic\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opioid Epidemic<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The commonwealth has suffered disproportionately to the rest of the country:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Massachusetts ranks <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/americanaddictioncenters.org\/overdose\/top-10-us-states\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the nation for fatal drug overdoses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, primarily due to opioids<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state only wrote 35.3 opioid prescriptions for every 100 individuals, making it one of the lowest rates in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Institute on Drug Abuse<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in the last reporting year:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">88% of overdoses in the commonwealth are due to opioids<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overdoses remain evenly split between heroin and prescription opioids<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">90% of all opioid fatalities resulted from synthetic opioids<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state is grappling with finding ways to prevent opioid addiction. When marijuana is viewed as a \u201cgateway drug\u201d to opioid use, fears find validation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multiple sources confirm marijuana is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/dariosabaghi\/2021\/12\/07\/a-brief-history-of-the-false-myth-about-cannabis-as-a-gateway-drug\/?sh=2837c1411dec\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not the gateway drug<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> most grew up believing. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5312634\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cannabis has been used medically<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for more than 5,000 years. In the early 1900s, cannabis could be found in nearly every medicine cabinet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, just over a decade into Nixon\u2019s War on Drugs, the term \u201cgateway drug\u201d was popularized in commercials and anti-drug campaigns like the D.A.R.E. program. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/is-marijuana-a-gateway-drug#gateway-drug\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addiction is a disorder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can be triggered by:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social factors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal factors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetic factors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environmental factors<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many substance abusers begin with marijuana as a testament to the prevalence and easy access to cannabis, not a direct link.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some Medical Researchers Propose Cannabis Use May Help Curb Opioid Use<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/could-pot-help-solve-us-opioid-epidemic\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">University of Colorado<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the first medical facility to directly compare cannabis and opioids for pain relief. The research is new and hopes to shed light on how each drug affects a person\u2019s pain receptors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addiction lasts a lifetime. Once a user favors prescription painkillers or heroin, it will be a lifelong struggle to accept physical pain as a part of life to say no to taking another pill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The potential for marijuana does not rest in replacing opioids for pain relief but in preventing a person from ever using opioids. Our bodies take a great deal of punishment throughout our lives that cause daily pain later in life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Athletes begin to feel their shoulders, knees, and other joints going with age. Soft tissue damage can arise from micro-repetitive movements from work. Since our bodies adjust to pain, the two ibuprofens in the morning do not have the same effect after a while. Serious injuries can lead to life-long pain, requiring some form of relief to function.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain from age and injury lead people to eventually seek relief in opioids. However, cannabis may be the answer to curbing the need for stronger pain relievers. When the ibuprofen fails, time for a trip to the dispensary instead of the pharmacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have concerns over a drug-related matter, <a href=\"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/\">Riccio Law<\/a> is here to offer <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sound legal advice<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2022 may see the most significant push for states to legalize marijuana. Most states without reformed cannabis measures have campaigns, proposals, or bills moving through the Senate to legalize medical marijuana.\u00a0 While most of the country seems on board to legalize marijuana, some recreational marijuana laws could still lead to drug possession charges or worse. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drug-crimes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/anthonyricciolaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}