Today's Poll: Should Massachusetts pass the legislation and become the 17th state to allow patients to use marijuana for medicinal purposes?
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Today's Poll
On Tuesday, a public hearing was held in Boston to allow residents to voice their opinion on the pending medical marijuana legislation.
The bill, which has a better chance of passing than previous incarnations, will create a strict system of state regulation and allow for the creation of up to 19 medical marijuana dispensaries across the state.
It would also allow patients to grow up to 24 plants in a secure and private area.
Contrary to popular belief, marijuana does not have to be smoked to feel the effects. It can be ingested or vaporized, eliminating the negative byproducts associated with smoking anything.
This bill, if approved, would model the state's system after some of the neighboring New England states rather than California, a state that pioneered such legislation but has received criticism for too loose of a system.
Patients and advocates in the Bay State are enthusiastic and showing support for the legislation, but not everyone is in favor of such a proposal.
Some attendees at the hearing, such as a former public health commissioner of Worcester, called marijuana a gateway drug and said it was addictive. This doctor also said he was concerned about the message it might send to children experimenting with marijuana.
With 16 states in the nation already allowing patients to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, it is looking like Massachusetts may be the 17th state.
To read the full story and see the bill in its entirety, click here. Chime in below and let us know what you think.
What is your take on the marijuana issue? Should the state allow patients suffering from degenerative disorders and serious illnesses to use it without fear of legal consequence?
Monday's Top 5:
The top 5 headlines on MassLive.com on June 28 were:
2) Holyoke Fire Chief William Moran accused of making false call to his own department
4) Best of 2011 Prom: Best of the Best (Photo Gallery)
Quote of the Day
"Am I to understand that the state has the right to do things that the individual may not, such as steal property? If you have to pay a tax on property, you don't own it." ~ Joseph F. "Jay" Noone of Bondsville protesting his eviction by the town over non-payment of $23,000 in taxes. To read the full story of Noone's battle against the town, click here.