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Summary of Question 3
This proposed law would eliminate state criminal and civil penalties for the medical use of marijuana by qualifying patients. To qualify, a patient must have been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition, such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV-positive status or AIDS, hepatitis C, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, ALS, or multiple sclerosis. The patient would also have to obtain a written certification, from a physician with whom the patient has a bona fide physician-patient relationship, that the patient has a specific debilitating medical condition and would likely obtain a net benefit from medical use of marijuana. The proposed law would allow patients to possess up to a 60-day supply of marijuana for their personal medical use. The state Department of Public Health (DPH) would decide what amount would be a 60-day supply. A patient could designate a personal caregiver, at least 21 years old, who could assist with the patient's medical use of marijuana but would be prohibited from consuming that marijuana. Patients and caregivers would have to register with DPH by submitting the physician's certification. The proposed law would allow for non-profit medical marijuana treatment centers to grow, process and provide marijuana to patients or their caregivers. A treatment center would have to apply for a DPH registration by (1) paying a fee to offset DPH's administrative costs; (2) identifying its location and one additional location, if any, where marijuana would be grown; and (3) submitting operating procedures, consistent with rules to be issued by DPH, including cultivation and storage of marijuana only in enclosed, locked facilities. A treatment center's personnel would have to register with DPH before working or volunteering at the center, be at least 21 years old, and have no felony drug convictions. In 2013, there could be no more than 35 treatment centers, with at least one but not more than five centers in each county. In later years, DPH could modify the number of centers. The proposed law would require DPH to issue a cultivation registration to a qualifying patient whose access to a treatment center is limited by financial hardship, physical inability to access reasonable transportation, or distance. This would allow the patient or caregiver to grow only enough plants, in a closed, locked facility, for a 60-day supply of marijuana for the patient's own use. DPH could revoke any registration for a willful violation of the proposed law. Fraudulent use of a DPH registration could be punished by up to six months in a house of correction or a fine of up to $500, and fraudulent use of a registration for the sale, distribution, or trafficking of marijuana for non-medical use for profit could be punished by up to five years in state prison or by two and one-half years in a house of correction. The proposed law would (1) not give immunity under federal law or obstruct federal enforcement of federal law; (2) not supersede Massachusetts laws prohibiting possession, cultivation, or sale of marijuana for nonmedical purposes; (3) not allow the operation of a motor vehicle, boat, or aircraft while under the influence of marijuana; (4) not require any health insurer or government entity to reimburse for the costs of the medical use of marijuana; (5) not require any health care professional to authorize the medical use of marijuana; (6) not require any accommodation of the medical use of marijuana in any workplace, school bus or grounds, youth center, or correctional facility; and (7) not require any accommodation of smoking marijuana in any public place. The proposed law would take effect January 1, 2013, and states that if any of its part were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.

2012 - Middlesex County - Question 3Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 1, 2012?

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Middlesex County Results
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City/Town Ward Pct Blanks Total Votes Cast
Totals
464,186
253,532
39,662 757,380
Acton More »
 
7,602
4,051
369
12,022
Arlington More »
 
17,084
7,998
1,171
26,253
Ashby
 
1,188
568
87
1,843
Ashland More »
 
5,255
3,063
257
8,575
Ayer More »
 
2,318
1,196
154
3,668
Bedford More »
 
4,631
2,719
369
7,719
Belmont More »
 
9,046
4,627
717
14,390
Billerica More »
 
11,831
7,619
796
20,246
Boxborough
 
1,812
1,043
110
2,965
Burlington More »
 
7,263
5,603
542
13,408
Cambridge More »
 
37,237
9,761
3,751
50,749
Carlisle
 
2,210
1,041
123
3,374
Chelmsford More »
 
10,921
7,993
750
19,664
Concord More »
 
7,080
3,559
416
11,055
Dracut More »
 
8,132
6,334
853
15,319
Dunstable
 
1,181
667
53
1,901
Everett More »
 
6,480
5,225
1,536
13,241
Framingham More »
 
17,162
9,409
1,492
28,063
Groton More »
 
4,061
1,959
342
6,362
Holliston More »
 
5,230
2,872
234
8,336
Hopkinton More »
 
5,308
3,136
259
8,703
Hudson More »
 
6,069
3,551
460
10,080
Lexington More »
 
11,494
6,035
910
18,439
Lincoln More »
 
2,495
1,102
153
3,750
Littleton More »
 
3,384
1,878
179
5,441
Lowell More »
 
19,128
13,685
1,413
34,226
Malden More »
 
11,716
7,452
2,037
21,205
Marlborough More »
 
9,897
5,910
1,014
16,821
Maynard More »
 
3,828
1,759
230
5,817
Medford More »
 
16,852
9,146
1,944
27,942
Melrose More »
 
9,344
5,404
888
15,636
Natick More »
 
11,815
6,378
671
18,864
Newton More »
 
30,520
12,159
2,522
45,201
N. Reading More »
 
4,941
3,519
344
8,804
Pepperell More »
 
4,028
2,307
193
6,528
Reading More »
 
8,230
5,785
433
14,448
Sherborn
 
1,659
933
97
2,689
Shirley
 
1,979
995
172
3,146
Somerville More »
 
26,013
7,390
2,087
35,490
Stoneham More »
 
7,004
4,976
545
12,525
Stow More »
 
2,668
1,430
190
4,288
Sudbury More »
 
6,703
3,587
389
10,679
Tewksbury More »
 
9,016
6,651
592
16,259
Townsend More »
 
3,085
1,683
188
4,956
Tyngsborough More »
 
3,678
2,398
259
6,335
Wakefield More »
 
7,534
6,326
759
14,619
Waltham More »
 
15,095
8,220
2,086
25,401
Watertown More »
 
10,895
4,927
1,041
16,863
Wayland More »
 
5,199
2,778
333
8,310
Westford More »
 
7,548
5,071
357
12,976
Weston More »
 
4,044
2,374
302
6,720
Wilmington More »
 
6,983
4,989
631
12,603
Winchester More »
 
7,605
4,766
606
12,977
Woburn More »
 
10,705
7,525
1,256
19,486
County Totals
464,186
253,532
39,662 757,380