Jeremiah MacKinnon,October 12, 2023 https://necnewstoday.com/social-consumption-ballot-petition/
A local entrepreneur recently helped to draw attention to a section of law that could pave the way in allowing for the first social consumption establishments in Massachusetts. According to reporting from Talking Joints Memo, his efforts to unveil the language for the local petition process laid out in Chapter 180 of the Acts of 2020 led the Secretary of State’s office to release the language necessary for municipalities to host on-site cannabis consumption establishments.
With a petition signed by at least 10% of the voters from the preceding biennial state election, municipalities can put forward the question in the next municipal or state election’s ballot. If a majority votes in favor, the respective city or town would greenlight such establishments. Although local officials may proactively authorize these establishments without going through the referendum process, the power of the petition lets communities weigh in and potentially redirect the course of social cannabis consumption policies locally.
Find the full story from Talking Joints Memo on their website here: https://talkingjointsmemo.com/obscure-section-of-mass-law-lets-voters-preempt-social-consumption/
