Status: Legal

History:

2008: Decriminalisation
2012: Medical cannabis legalised
2016: Recreational cannabis legalised (effective 2017)
2018: Commercial sales begin

Policy Framework:

Expungement: attached to legislation

• Must be at least 21-years-old to consumer, purchase and possess cannabis;
• Recreational users can possess up to 10oz (283g) in the homes at a time provided it is locked up;
• Can carry up to 1oz (28g) on their person at a time;
• An excise tax of 10.75% on all cannabis-containing products;
• Consumption of cannabis products in public is prohibited;
• Individuals above 21-years-of-age can grow up to six plants in their home, in a household with more than one adult, a maximum of only 12 plants is permitted per household;
• Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal;
• Landlords are not permitted to prohibited cannabis consumption methods other than smoking;
• Cultivation at home is permitted - up to six plants;
• Distribution without a license to do so is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $US200,000.

Outcomes:

• Between 2005 and 2017, cannabis use disorder in people over the age of 12 decreased from 2.4% to 2.3%;
• In a 2019 survey, the prevalence of self-reported driving under the influence was 34.3%. Overall, 7.2% of the adult population drove under the influence of marijuana in the past 30 days and 11.3% of adults rode with a marijuana-using driver in the past 30 days;
• Between November 20, 2018, and January 20, 2019, consumers purchased nearly $US24 million of recreational marijuana products and the state received about $US4 million in tax revenue;
• Economic projections suggest marijuana will increase Massachusetts state revenue by about $US215.8 million in the first two years of retail sales. Sales tax revenue is expected to be higher in the second year ($SU154.2 million) compared with the first year ($US61.6 million);
• As of late January 2019, the state has nine stores licensed to sell recreational marijuana.

Source: https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/state/massachusetts/crime