Advertisement Marijuana before Christmas? Unlikely, says Mass. official Procedural issues could delay the state's new marijuana law Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The state's top elections official says procedural issues could slightly delay the state's new marijuana law. The voter-approved measure which legalizes recreational marijuana is scheduled to take effect on Dec. 15. But Secretary of State William Galvin says the Governor's Council is required to officially certify the election results before that can happen. Galvin told The Boston Globe there's only a 50-50 chance his office can get all of the vote totals from around the state to the council before Dec. 15. Once the law does take effect, it will be legal in Massachusetts for people 21 and over to possess small amounts of marijuana and grow up to a dozen plants per household. But commercial sales of the drug are still more than a year away.