Massachusetts Bill Would Legalize Recreational Marijuana

House Bill 1632, the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation act, is a bill that would legalize marijuana across the state of Massachusetts.

The bill was presented to the Joint Committee on Beach Hill this week. And lawmakers are proposing an unusual way in which to tax the possible recreational marijuana sales.

The taxes associated with retail marijuana sales would be at a rate of $10 per 1% of THC per ounce. For example, if a patron was to purchase an ounce of marijuana containing 7% THC they would be taxed $70 an ounce, and so forth.

Activists are confident that the bill will pass because of how similar campaigns have gone in the past. Massachusetts approved decriminalizing up to an ounce of marijuana in 2008 with no more than a $100 fine as opposed to time in jail, and later legalizing medical marijuana in 2012.

The latest polls show that more than half of residents favor marijuana legalization in Massachusetts.