A barrage of bills before the state’s Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy has renewed fears the Bay State is not ready to handle drugged drivers and comes as lobbying on pot regulation continues to climb.

Some of the proposed legislation — hiking the legal age to buy weed to 25, capping potency and allowing drivers to refuse to take a roadside weed test — has pot proponents and doubters facing off anew.

“This law is not perfect and we need to remain strong about not allowing carnage on our highways from drugged drivers,” one former police chief told the Herald, saying he’s all for the committee’s push to refine the law.

Jim Borghesani, a pot industry consultant and early backer of the law, said he’s worried the state Legislature will tinker too much.

“I would like the Legislature to still exercise caution,” Borghesani said. “I worry about them overstepping where regulators should decide.”

The debate comes as cannabis-related companies spent nearly $1.5 million lobbying on marijuana in 2018, according to a Herald analysis of records from Secretary of State William Galvin’s office. In 2017, $1.1 million was spent on lobbying.

Even more green cash will likely come to Beacon Hill this year as more industry lobbyists have registered for 2019.

Over 100 bills related to the regulation of pot have been filed for this session, with nearly 50 of those referred to the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy for review, including legislation to regulate community host agreements and to establish insurance for medical marijuana patients.

State Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro) filed a bill that would give the Cannabis Control Commission more authority in regulating community host agreements between a municipality and a cannabis-related business, which is largely supported by Cannabis Commerce Consultants with Tudestr, a consulting firm for people in the marijuana industry.

“Making sure they don’t exceed what’s allowed by law — we think that’s very important because we’re seeing towns go far beyond what the law allows. That has to be reined in,” Borghesani said. “It’s a generous allotment of funds just within the law. I see no reason to go beyond the law.”

Community host agreements involve a negotiation between the pot business and the municipality to receive up to 3 percent of the gross annual sales. But Borghesani said many communities have sidestepped that regulation and asked for additional cash payments or charitable contributions.

State Rep. James O’Day (D-Worcester) refiled a bill to raise the legal age limit to purchase or use pot from 21 to 25, citing research that shows the brain continues to develop past the age of 25.

“I think it’s a more prudent and responsible way of looking at trying to protect young folks from compromising their mental process, their brain development,” O’Day said. “I think we all have a responsibility when we are selling products to consumers and doing so in a legal manner.”

State Rep. David LeBoeuf (D-Worcester) filed legislation that would establish an insurance coverage program for medical marijuana, which is still being drafted. Borghesani said he supports the measure.

“I’m someone who generally believes if cannabis is a medicine, ideally it should be sold like any other prescription drug in a pharmacy,” LeBoeuf said. “To me, this is a medicine that’s helping people. Especially when I meet families of young children with out-of-pocket costs that are so significant. I wanted to try to find an insurance coverage model to support relief for those families.”

Joe Dwinell contributed to this report.