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Opponents of Legalizing Pot Gear up to Fight Ballot Measure

AUGUSTA, Maine - A group opposing the fall referendum question that would legalize marijuana use in Maine says it will face an uphill battle.

Scott Gagnon says supporters are raising a lot of out-of-state money to fuel their campaign. "Fund raising will definitely be one thing we will be working on in the coming months because obviously that is something we will need. I mean, at the end of the day, we will never be able to match them dollar for dollar."

Last week the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol announced one out-of-state supporter would match contributions dollar for dollar up to $50,000.

Gagnon says he believes opponents can win when voters realize the flaws in the referendum, such as no criminal penalties for providing marijuana to someone under age.

“We think marijuana should be legal for adults 21 and over and the Legislature needs to flesh out the details,” says David Boyer with the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. “We presented an overview of how it should be regulated.”