Laugenour would legalize marijuana

By David Scribner

LENOX – Scott Laugenour, the Green-Rainbow Party candidate running for state representative against Democratic incumbent William F. Pignatelli in the fourth Berkshire district that includes all of South County, has called for the legalization of marijuana, both as a way of undermining covert drug trafficking and as a way of providing a taxable income stream for the area’s farmers.

‘It’s time for marijuana to be legalized and removed from the black market,” he declared. “Let’s allow our communities’ entrepreneurs to apply for licenses so that they may expand their business and profit from the sale of marijuana and related paraphernalia. And let’s collect fair and reasonable excise taxes on it.”

Laugenour argues that marijuana is less physically harmful than alcohol.

“I don’t think this is a big gamble,” he said, referring to whether he would risk the credibility of his campaign by advocating such a controversial stance. “The legislation to legalize marijuana has already been filed. It should be addressed. And I think people are ready for new ideas.”

He proposed that marijuana be classified as a controlled substance, as alcohol is.

“Joe Nejaime ought to be able to sell it – and related paraphernalia – in his wine shop,” he said.

Laugenour’s position is strenuously opposed by District Attorney David Capeless.

“No one should be surprised that I am against this proposal, since I led the fight last year against Proposition 2 that decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana,” he said. “All the state’s district attorneys were against it.”

In spite of its overwhelming approval by voters last November, Capeless is still strongly against any measures which seem to attribute acceptability to possession and use of marijuana.

In 2009, he pointed out, there was a 50 percent “uptick” in the number of possession cases prosecuted by his office.

“The Drug Task Force has been seeing more marijuana around, more people selling it, and it seems to be an even more viable business. Our biggest concern is what legalization would mean to young people getting involved with other drugs,” he contended. “And I certainly don’t think voters who supported Proposition 2 equate their vote on that issue with support for legalization.”

While Laugenour advocates legalization of marijuana, he opposes the development of casino gambling sites.

“These are consistent positions,” he explained. “This opposition is grounded in the belief that casinos result in net job loss and that as tax revenue sources they are regressive. I have no problem with anyone who wants to gamble, but large big-business casino development is community busting and a lousy basis for a jobs and tax policy.”