When Maine solicited advice on how to set up its new recreational cannabis market, about a dozen groups from all over the country, from national marijuana consulting firms to the manager of a small Maine town, chimed in: Ban marijuana social clubs, despite the voters’ will. Discourage “drug warrior” cops. Tax marijuana enough to discourage youth use, but keep it competitive with street prices.
Responses released recently show opinions that varied widely, from those who want to encourage this new industry to those who would rather undo the results of the November referendum that legalized recreational cannabis use. Some want to make sure the state can capitalize on the benefits of adult-use cannabis, like decreased opioid use, while others sought to avoid other states’ mistakes on the road to legalization.
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“Developing and implementing voter-mandated marijuana policy is a high-profile venture for any government,” wrote Andrew Freedman, who was Colorado’s first director of marijuana coordination before forming Freedman & Koski, one of the national consulting firms that responded to Maine’s request for best-practice information. “This policy arena remains very divisive and full of uncertainty.”
The state released a draft of its omnibus rules intended to regulate Maine’s nascent marijuana industry on Sept. 11. Hearings on the rules are scheduled for later this month and legislators will reconvene in October to vote on the final version of an omnibus bill.
