“Dozens of Massachusetts cities and towns are taking steps to impose stiff new fines for smoking marijuana in public and even to charge some violators with misdemeanors, a trend that critics say subverts the state ballot question passed overwhelmingly last fall to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. In recent weeks, at least seven communities — Duxbury, Lynn, Methuen, Medway, Milford, Salem, and Springfield — have passed bylaws that target people who light up in public. And two dozen cities and towns expect to vote this spring on similar measures, which proponents liken to local open container laws that ban drinking alcohol in public.” [editor’s note: They may have a case; public intoxication has been unlawful for as long as the rule of law has existed, regardless of the supstance involved. The legalization of weed should not be confused with the right to just light up anywhere! - SAT] [additional editor’s note: Being intoxicated, in public or anywhere else, in and of itself breaks no one’s leg and picks no one’s pocket; the only “case” these towns have is a bad “case” of control freakery - TLK] (03/25/09)