Marijuana for recreational purposes is now legal in the city of Portland, Maine. However, one must be twenty-one years of age or older, according to The Huffington Post. With seventy percent of the vote, Portland is the first city on the east coast to legalize the drug. Portland is Maine’s largest city and now residents are allowed to have up to 2.5 ounces of pot just for fun. However, there are a few basic guidelines. The purchase or sale of marijuana is not encouraged and it is not allowed to be smoked in public places such as parks, schools, and on public transportation. Landlords and owners of property have the right not to allow the smoking of marijuana on their premises. There is also a slight outrage or misconception over the advertising of marijuana on metro buses that drive through the city, leaving residents under twenty-one vulnerable to publicity images of the newly legalized drug.
The Portland legalization of the casually popular drug is a direct result of the people being fed up with the not such great success of marijuana prohibition laws. If you can’t keep it out of citizens’ hands then making it legal may be the best thing to do, perhaps even making it less desirable. As a member of the marijuana advocacy group, the Marijuana Policy Project, David Boyer commented, “We applaud Portland voters for adopting a smarter marijuana policy, and we look forward to working with city officials to ensure it is implemented.” Washington and Colorado have already made recreational marijuana legal and Portland’s new legalization of “fun time weed” is another step towards keeping drug use more controlled.
There were some celebratory parties in response to the Question 1 vote including belly dancers and a reggae band. However, it was more symbolic than actual party time. In Washington and Colorado people may be able to evade being arrested for possession of marijuana. It is left up in the air whether marijuana arrests will be made in Portland.
Image Credit: The Huffington Post