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WEBVTT WHILE OPPONENTS TOHAVE A STATEWIDE MORATORIUM.SOME HAVE ALREADY TAP THEBRAKES.RETAIL POT SHOPS LIKE THIS ONEWE VISITED IN COLORADO COULDSTART OPENING UP IN MAINE ASSOON AS THE END OF THIS YEAR BUTSEVERAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN OURSTATE HAVE ALREADY THROWN UPROADBLOCKS.THE NEW LAW LETS A LOCALMUNICIPALITY PUT A SIX-MONTHMORATORIUM IN PLACE UNTIL STATELAWMAKERS FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOWMAINE IS GOING TO REGULATE ANDTAX MARIJUANA.GEOFF HERMAN IS A LOBBYIST FORTHE MAINE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.>> I THINK THE INTEREST ON THEMUNICIPAL LEVEL IS TO MAKE SURETHAT THEY GET IT RIGHT THAT THEYGET THE RULES RIGHT AND TO DOTHAT, THEY REALLY NEED TO SEEWHERE THE STATE'S GOING WITHREGARD TO ITS REGULATORY SYSTEM.PAUL: HERMAN SAYS IT'S IMPORTANTFOR ANY CITY OR TOWN CONSIDERINGA MORATORIUM TO ACT NOW TO GETOUT AHEAD OF ANYONE WHO PLANS TOAPPLY FOR A RETAIL SHOP PERMITAS SOON AS THE LAW GOES INTOEFFECT.THE LAW ALLOWS FOR A MORATORIUMTHAT LASTS SIX MONTHS AND CAN BEEXTENDED.SOME MUNICIPALITIES ARE EVENCONSIDERING PROHIBITIONSOMETHING THAT'S ALSO ALLOWEDWITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF QUESTIONONE.>> I THINK THE THINKING IS IT'SEASIER TO RELAX A STRICTORDINANCE THAN TO MAKE A LENIENTORDINANCE STRICT.PAUL: THE MAINE MUNICIPALASSOCIATION DID NOT TAKE APOSITION ON THIS ISSUE DURINGELECTION SEASON, BUT HERMAN SAYSMANY OF HIS BOARD MEMBERS DOLIKE THAT THE MARIJUANA LAWGIVES A LOT OF CONTROL TO CITIESAND TOWNS.THIS LAW, HE SAYS, IS EVENSTRICTER THAT THE ONE THATGOVERNS ALCOHOL.>> THIS ONE GIVES THATPROHIBITION AUTHORITY INADDITION TO A FULL SLATE OFREGULATORY AUTHORITY, SO THAT'SHOME RULE PLUS PLUS.YOU CAN'T REALLY KNOCK IT ONTHAT SCORE.PAUL: IT IS DEBATABLE WHETHERLEGAL WEED WILL REPRESENT A CASHCOW FOR THE STATE.CITIES AND TOWNS WILL NOT BEGETTING RICH OFF OF THIS CHANGE.THEY HOPE POTSHOTSGET LICENSINGFEES.

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The Secretary of State's Office has received a signed proclamation from Gov. Paul LePage, paving the way for recreational marijuana to become law. The referendum, passed by voters in November, allows Maine residents to cultivate, manufacture, distribute, test and sell marijuana and marijuana products. The Secretary of State's Office received the governor's proclamation dated Dec. 31, the office announced on Twitter Tuesday. The proclamation reads in part, "Although, the governor maintains strong concerns regarding the integrity of Maine's ballot and accuracy of Maine's election results and cannot attest to the accuracy of the tabulation certified by the Secretary of State." The law will become effective 30 days from the signing date, which is Jan. 30. Retail stores in Maine would not open until 2018. The new law lets a local municipality put a six-month moratorium in place until lawmakers figure out how the state us going to regulate and tax marijuana. "I think the interest on the municipal level is to make sure that they get it right - that they get the rules right - and to do that, they really need to see where the state's going with regard to its regulatory system," said Geoff Herman of the Maine Municipal Association. Herman said any city or town that is considering a moratorium should act immediately to get ahead of anyone who plans to apply for a retail shop permit as soon as the law goes into effect. Some municipalities are even considering prohibition, which is allowed within the language of Question 1. "I think the thinking is it's easier to relax a strict ordinance than to make a lenient ordinance strict," Herman said. Opponents with "No on 1" said Tuesday that they want to work on closing a loophole allowing legal possession of marijuana by youth and restricting access to edibles. Both sides said they would work together on the issues. A recount last month found the referendum passed by 4,073 votes. The governor had said he was concerned about the ballot questions passed on Election Day. “Several of the ballot questions put out to voters have serious, unintended consequences for the people of Maine,” the governor said after Election Day. "Some questions are clearly unconstitutional, one will chase successful people out of Maine and another will drive the elderly deeper into poverty. Legalizing marijuana goes against federal law, and the question was so poorly drafted it will require millions of dollars and several legislative fixes before it can be implemented.”