Places That Have Decriminalized Non-medical Cannabis in The United States - Massachusetts

Massachusetts

See also: Massachusetts Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative and Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Initiative

On March 28, 2000, Amherst passed a non-binding referendum by a vote of 63-37 percent. The referendum "deprioritized" adult possession of cannabis and urged "the members of the Selectboard and the Town Manager to persuade our state representative, state senator, U.S. representative and U.S. senators to repeal the prohibition of cannabis".

On February 16, 2006, The Herald News reported that the Joint Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee of the Massachusetts General Court voted 6-1 in favor of a bill that would have made possession of less than an ounce of cannabis a civil fine of $250.

On November 4, 2008, state voters approved an initiative to decriminalize the possession of marijuana. Any person caught with less than an ounce of marijuana, hash, hash oil, or smoking in public is punishable by a civil fine of $100. The new law took effect in January 2009. Since the law has taken effect, some towns have amended the law, making it a more major fine for being caught smoking in public.

On November 6, 2012, state voters approved an initiative to eliminate criminal and civil penalties for the use of medical marijuana.