The state superintendent’s organization,
which includes Chelsea Supt. Mary Bourque, has officially come out
against the legalization of marijuana ballot question that will appear
on the November ballot.
Superintendents across the state in the
Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS), including
Revere Supt. Dianne Kelly and Chelsea’s Bourque – the incoming MASS
president, have officially taken a position against the ballot question
in November that would legalize marijuana.
“As the MASS organization, we feel very
deeply this is not the right path to go down,” Bourque said.
“Much
research has been done on brain development and adolescents and what we
know about marijuana is that it impeded brain development and keeps kids
from reaching their full potential academically and socially.
When we
decriminalized it (four years ago), we set a new community norm. When
you make something legal, you make it seem like it’s not as bad…I do
believe we have changed societal norms in favor of this and have made
this very dangerous for the next generation.”
Kelly, from neighboring Revere, said it counters what has been taught about good health in the schools.
“My problem with the legalization of
marijuana is it sends mixed-messages to kids,” said Kelly.
“We
understand marijuana to be a gateway drug. We do everything we can in
the School Department to educate kids about health concerns. To legalize
marijuana sends mixed messages to kids about what is healthy…It’s still
a narcotic that’s not allowed in schools, just like alcohol.
Kids are
under the impression with legalization that marijuana is ok and legal
even though it’s not allowed here. I don’t know that those who are
pushing to make marijuana legal have considered these implications for
kids.”
In November, in what is expected to be a
large turnout for the presidential election, voters in Massachusetts
will also vote on whether or not to legalize marijuana. It will come in
the form of a ballot question.
The new law would make marijuana legal
for those 21 and over, and users would be able to keep up to 10 ounces
of marijuana in their homes. They would also be able to carry an ounce
with them.
Marijuana would be able to be bought in plant form and also
within other products.
The state would like, if approved by the
voters, start accepting applications for potential retailers in October
2017. Retail establishments would not likely be able to open until 2018.
Residents also would be able to grow up
to six plants in their home, provided they are over 21, and no more than
12 plants in a household could be cultivated.
All recreational sales would be taxed at
6.25 percent sales tax, plus an excise tax of 3.75 percent.
Local taxes
could also be placed on sales. Smokers could not smoke in public places
or anywhere that tobacco smoking is prohibited, but it does allow for
the creation of cannabis cafes.
A three-person Cannabis Control
Commission would regulate all things to do with marijuana at the state
level within the State Treasurer’s Office.
Bourque, who will become the president of
MASS on May 19, said it’s not the path that education leaders think is
right for the state’s young people. She said one thing that needs to be
pointed out is that the marijuana of today is much stronger than that 20
or 30 years ago.
“That’s a piece of information no really
out in the public,” she said. “The THC content has about quadrupled from
20 years ago. One ounce today is drastically different than one ounce
20 years ago in terms of the high kids get and the damage done to the
brain.”
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