Bill To Eliminate Marijuana Criminal Charges Fails In Maine
A bill in the Maine Legislature seeking to remove criminal charges related to marijuana has been voted against by the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. The bill, proposed by Sen. Joe Baldacci, would have eliminated the criminal charges associated with marijuana trafficking and possession, removed marijuana's status as a scheduled drug, and abolished obligatory minimum sentences for marijuana offences. The proposed legislation would have also required the Department of Public Safety to expunge criminal convictions and civil violations related to marijuana. Maine voters approved the legalisation of recreational cannabis in 2016, and Baldacci argued that marijuana should be treated like alcohol or other controlled substances. However, other lawmakers expressed concern about illegal marijuana growing operations in the state, which have been connected to organised crime and potential involvement in crimes such as human trafficking and money laundering.
