Recreational marijuana is now legal in Massachusetts, but that doesn’t mean you can go out and buy some of it just yet.
Residents over 21 can possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana outside of their homes and 10 ounces inside of their homes. Up to 12 pot plants can be grown in homes by those over 21, but the plants cannot be visible to the public.
The plants also need to be cultivated in a place with a security device. Also, tenants cannot grow or smoke marijuana if their landlord has a rule against it.
Using marijuana in any public place or while driving will be against the law. Partially-consumed packages of marijuana cannot be kept in a motor vehicle, except in the trunk or locked glove compartment.
It is still illegal to sell marijuana in the state, except to registered medical marijuana patients. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, so it cannot be brought across state lines or mailed to residents.
A small amount, up to an ounce, can be given to another adult, but it is against the law to give away pot to someone under 21.
Retail marijuana shops will not be available for at least a year when the first batch are licensed and regulated.
U.S. & World
The Governor's Council certified the November ballot question legalizing recreational marijuana on Wednesday, clearing the way for the law to take effect.
The meeting was contentious at times, as Jen Caissie, the only Republican on the eight-member panel, pushed for a roll call on Question 4, which carried by more than 200,000 votes according to the secretary of state's official tally. Caissie said she could not in good conscience vote to certify, calling marijuana a "gateway" to heroin.
In the end, the results of the marijuana question were certified by a voice vote after other councilors objected to a roll call, saying their responsibility was only to certify the election results, and not to express their own views about the measure.
