WORCESTER - Appearing on a panel before a legislative proponent of marijuana legalization, top prosecutors on Wednesday made impassioned appeals against loosening restrictions on the substance.
David Sullivan mug 2015
David E. Sullivan
"We ought to turn ourselves into Denver, Colorado, where gummy bears are littering the streets that are made of marijuana?" asked Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe.
O'Keefe suggested inviting to Massachusetts law enforcement officials from Washington and Colorado, states where the drug can be bought and used legally, to help educate the public and policymakers.
Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said today's marijuana is so powerful it is defined as hashish, and he said youthful drug and alcohol use leads to future criminality.
Sitting across from the panel of top prosecutors at a budget hearing at Quinsigamond Community College was Sen. Will Brownsberger, a Belmont Democrat and a supporter of marijuana legalization.
"So based on that line of argument, should we turn the clock back and prohibit alcohol?" Brownsberger asked.
"We are living with alcohol and its effects on society and they're not particularly good, but why would we want to compound that with respect to marijuana?" asked O'Keefe.
Berkshires District Attorney David Capeless said raising the drinking age would "make sense," but would be "near impossible."
Massachusetts voters decriminalized possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in 2008, legalized medical marijuana in 2012 and could determine whether to fully legalize the drug in 2016.
Brownsberger criticized the current laws, which criminalize minors possessing alcohol but not marijuana.
"Certainly we should fix that, right?" Brownsberger said, calling the situation "the worst of both worlds."
Sullivan said he believes possession of alcohol as a minor should also be decriminalized and said no one wants young people to receive a criminal record for "having a Budweiser."
Another prosecutor indicated he did not agree with Sullivan.
Sen. Michael Moore, a Millbury Democrat, encouraged O'Keefe to "come out with the same passion" if marijuana legalization is on the ballot, and O'Keefe said lawmakers and others should help spread the word about marijuana's dangers.
"What kind of message are we sending to kids when the adult community, the responsible people, give the imprimatur that this drug is not a serious drug?" O'Keefe said, contrasting the recent relaxation of marijuana laws with the widespread concern about opioid addictions and overdoses.
Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Attorney General Maura Healey have all recently expressed their opposition to full marijuana legalization.
Everyone has an opinion on everything different people grew up with different morals and were taught different things. Legalizing marijuana is a very big thing right now there are some studies saying it's not good for you and many others saying it is. Personally I believe that marijuana is not only natural, unlike prescription pills that are filled with chemicals that could cause long term or even permanent effects, that it has many good uses to it. It helps people who have A.D.H.D., depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain from any kind of injury and so much more. Tommy Chong used marijuana oils to cure his cancer and he is now 99% cancer free! Theres also another story I read about where a father gave his daughter with cancer a controlled amount of marijuana and though he was arrested for it because she was a minor it worked. Hemp can also be used to make cloth. I think that the government has been trying to prevent the use of marijuana for so long because of the fact that it is so useful, it could solve so many problems and even save money, but it is all about power,"There is more money to be made in treating a disease than curing it, why cure someone of cancer in a day when we can bill them for a lifetime", I heard this on family guy but it do belive that it is a true statement though I disagree with it very much. Though I do believe it should be legal I do also believe there should be an age restriction. If it is used for say helping cure a childs cancer I agree children should be able to use it as long as it is controlled and only distributed by a parent or guardian.
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