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Tom Nolan, a former Boston Police lieutenant, appears in the first ad for marijuana legalization in Massachusetts.

(Screenshot)

Aiming to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts through a November ballot question, the "Yes on 4" campaign launched a television ad featuring retired Boston cop Tom Nolan.



"Question 4 requires strict product labeling and childproof packaging and bans advertising directed at kids," said Nolan, who served as a lieutenant and now works as a Merrimack College associate professor. "And Question 4 bans consuming marijuana in public."



But opponents of the question, part of a coalition that includes Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, hit back at the ad.



"This is a shameless attempt to deceive voters because the reality is Question 4 authorizes the sale of high potency pot edibles like candies and gummies that are inherently attractive to kids, and allows for advertising pot on TV, billboards, and the Internet where it's sure to be seen by our teens," said Nick Bayer, campaign manager for the No on 4 camp.



"Question 4 would mean more drugged driving problems and less control for homeowners and communities, all reasons doctors, nurses, and police chiefs all oppose Question 4," he added in a statement.

The controversial question will be the subject of a debate at UMass Boston on Tuesday. The debate, sponsored by WBUR Radio and the Boston Globe, is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.