Maine Hopes To Avoid Pot Pitfalls During Legalization Push

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Recreational marijuana legalization is in sight in Maine, and the state is looking to learn from mistakes that other states have made in legalizing the drug.

The state's marijuana proposed rules will be the subject of a public hearing in Portland on May 23 that state officials expect will be well attended. It's the latest step on the road to a legal framework that state officials say they hope will weed out problems such as oversupply and underage use that have cropped up elsewhere.

Maine voters chose to legalize adult use marijuana in 2016, but the legal sales haven't started because of trouble implementing laws. The state now has draft rules in hand that could govern subjects such as licensure and cultivation, and the Maine Legislature must approve them.