Baker vetoes part of cannabis bill requiring study on allowing medical marijuana at school
BOSTON - Gov. Charlie Baker signed a major piece of legislation on Thursday to make the cannabis business more inclusive - but he did veto one particular part of the bill.
The act relative to equity in the cannabis industry creates new standards for agreements between businesses and the communities they're in, and also creates a trust fund to provide loans to cannabis entrepreneurs.
But it's a section concerning medical marijuana use in schools that Baker took issue with.
The bill called for the Cannabis Control Commission and state agencies to study and come up with "recommendations on eliminating obstacles and expanding accommodations to possess, administer and consume medical use marijuana at public and private schools in the commonwealth."
In a letter to lawmakers, Baker said he had "serious concerns" about allowing medical marijuana use in schools.
"The language of the section is highly prescriptive - making it clear that the agencies charged with producing the study must identify ways to make medical marijuana widely available within schools, rather than considering whether such an allowance is advisable."
Baker said past ballot questions to legalize medical marijuana made it clear that pot would not be allowed on school grounds. He said current law bans marijuana at K-12 schools, on school buses and in youth centers.
Previously, state Sen. Michael Rodrigues told The Boston Herald that the Legislature was looking into helping "students that would greatly benefit from medical use marijuana as an accommodation."
