Local MA Officials Want Power To Restrict Marijuana Use

Control-freakery in the Bay State? Shocking.

State Representative Cleon Turner's idea is "simple and straightforward."

"I want to provide municipalities, landlords, property owners, and business owners the opportunity to prohibit smoking marijuana—whether for medical purposes or otherwise—on their property," says the Democrat who represents the Cape Cod town of Dennis.

In the language of four separate bills filed by Turner, which will go before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on June 19, various entities, depending on the legislation, would have the power to keep people who use marijuana for medicinal purposes from lighting up the drug in designated areas, much like cigarette smoking bans on certain properties. "It's a no brainer," said Turner. "If you can prohibit the smoking of cigarettes—which we have passed because of the second hand smoke issues—wouldn't that be the same for marijuana? It's affecting other people."