Op-ed: Marijuana In Massachusetts
Jenn Boulay
November 20, 2008
Herald News (Fall River, MA)
What the approval of Question 2 really means
Fall River — The approval of ballot question 2 in Massachusetts has sparked some confusion over what this actually means:
1. Marijuana is not legal. While decriminalizing possession of marijuana (up to one ounce) has removed criminal penalties, other state and local regulations continue to apply. Possession of more than one ounce results in criminal penalties.
2. Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana can result in imprisonment for up to two and a half years, a fine up to $5,000, or both.
3. If a youth under 18 is charged with possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, the offender gets a $100 fine, must participate in a drug awareness program including 10 hours of community service, and the law requires parental notification.
According to the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, short-term dangers associated with marijuana usage include: impaired memory; difficulty thinking and problem solving; anxiety or paranoia; impaired judgment; impaired driving skills; cardiac problems. Other potential health problems include increased risk of: respiratory ailments including chronic cough, bronchitis and emphysema; addiction; behavioral problems in a child when used by a mother during pregnancy; developing cancer; all the other health problems associated with smoking tobacco
Marijuana is not a harmless product. It is a brain-altering drug containing the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. | 
