November 1, 2016

Massachusetts faith leaders urge ‘No’ vote on marijuana question

REGIONAL
Staff report

BOSTON – Faith leaders from worship communities across the state, including Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, have issued the following statement regarding Ballot Question 4 which would commercialize the sale of recreational marijuana:

As faith leaders across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we urge all citizens to vote NO on Question 4 on Election Day, November 8th.

In the midst of an opioid epidemic, it is beyond reason that the Commonwealth would commercialize the sale of marijuana. It is important for our citizens to know the facts: this legislation was written by and for the billion-dollar marijuana industry. Ninety-six percent of the money supporting this proposal comes from out of state. If passed, the law would make it significantly difficult for local communities to try to opt out. It would authorize companies from outside of Massachusetts to legally sell marijuana that is 10 to 600 times more potent than that of past decades. We believe this will lead to greater addiction particularly for young people. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, let us not expose them to the unnecessary danger of shops selling packaged edible forms of marijuana, including candy.

It is important to recognize that Massachusetts has already decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, so concerns about people being arrested for possession do not apply to this proposed law. Nor is there a rationale in tax revenues.

First, there is no amount of money that would justify the dangers of commercializing marijuana. Second, the expense of regulating it and funding the public safety and medical response to accidents and overdoses would far exceed the supposed tax revenue. Lastly, the cost and the grief to families from marijuana-related abuse is incalculable. An example is the tragic death of Massachusetts State Trooper Thomas Clardy earlier this year. The person charged with that motor vehicle fatality is alleged to have used marijuana before driving that day.

As faith leaders, we believe that our efforts as a society should be focused toward improving life for our citizens. A culture that encourages and promotes the use of drugs is failing its people. As the neighborhood pastors who tend your houses of worship, streets and hospital bedsides, who live in and know our local communities, we have seen the struggle with addiction and we have grieved with our people at the funerals. Each of us can recount the tragic stories of people whose drug addiction began with marijuana.

Question 4, if approved, will generate substantial profit for out-of-state drug marketers at the expense of the health, well-being and the lives of our families and loved ones. Please join us in voting NO on Question 4, for the good of our Commonwealth and our people.

Signed:

Mr. Ramin  Abrishamian, Needham Baha’i Community

Rev. Gary Adams, Morningstar Baptist Church, BPD Chaplain

Very Rev. Nicholas Apostola, Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal, Islamic Council of New England

I.C.C. Chair Naim Assil, Islamic Council of New England

Msgr. Andon Atamian, Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church

Dir. Dale Atlas, John 17:23 Ministries

Rev. Archpriest Antranig Baljian, St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church

Rev. Theodore Barbas, Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston

Rev. Paul Bebis, Holy Trinity Church

Rev. Vassilios Bebis, St. Nectarios Church

Pres. Andrew Beckwith, Massachusetts Family Institute

Fr. William Bergmann, Church of the Good Shepherd

Fr. Thomas F. Bouton, Saint Ambrose Rectory

Mr. Scott Brill, Institute for Christian Unity

Pastor Randy Cahill, Calvary Chapel, Rockland

Rev. Constantine Cambus, Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church

Pastor Esteban Carrasco, House of Destiny

Rev. George Carrigg, St. Christopher Church

Fr. Mark Cherubim, Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark

Rev. Thomas Chininis, Transfiguration of Our Saviour Church

Rev. Gregory Christakos, Sts. Anargyroi Church

Rev.  Brian Clary, St. Mary Church

Rev. Frank Cloherty, Catholic Collaborative of Lynn

Rev. Thomas Cokotis, Holy Trinity Church

Dir. Jacqueline Colon, Iglesia La Luz de Christo, Chelsea

Very Rev. Panteleimon Costarakis, St. John the Baptist Church

Rev. Demetrios Costarakis, St. Nicholas Church

Rev. Matt Crane, Institute for Christian Unity

Dcn. Michael Curren, St. Augustine Church

Most Rev. Edgar M. da Cunha, SVD, Roman Catholic Bishop of Fall River

Pastor Edmund C. de la Cour, First Baptist Church of Pocasset

Rev. Bob Dibbs, Evangelical Pastor

Pastor Chris DiGiacomo, Lifeline Baptist Church, Haverhill

Dr. Dris Djermoun, Ph.D., President, Islamic Council of New England

Pastor Neil Eaton, New Hope Chapel

Pastor Kenneth Ebersole, East Gate Christian Fellowship

Msgr. Georges El-Khalli, Ph.D., Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church

Rev. Anthony Evangelatos, Annunciation Church

Imam Abdullah Faaruuq, Mosque for the Praising of Allah

Dcn. Michael Fadel, St. Vasilios Church

Shaykh Yasir Fahmy, Senior Imam, Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center

Rev. Ben Feldott, Cape Cod Church

Pastor Fred Ferreira, 3rd Baptist Church

Very Rev. James Flavin, Episcopal Vicar, Central Region, RCAB

Rev. Carlos Flor, St. Thomas, St. Mary, and Lourdes Church

Rev. Janice Ford, Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Reconciliation

Rev. Christopher Foustoukos, St. Vasilios Church

Rev. Evangelos Georgiadis, St. Demetrios Church

Rev. Arthur Gerald, Twelfth Baptist Church

Rev. Asterios Gerostergios, Sts. Constantine and Helen Church

Rev. Panagiotis Giannakopoulos, St. George Church

Rev. Dr. Dennis Gill, E-Net Evangelical Network of New England

Rev. John Govostes, Assumption Church

Pastor DaQuall Graham, Full Deliverance Church, Lowell

Pastor Paul E. Gramit, Ev. Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS-UAC)

Pastor Nicholas G. Granitsas, First Congregational Church, Revere

Bishop Brian Greene, Pentecostal Tabernacle, Cambridge

Pastor Ronald Grimley, Abundant Life Church, Wilmington

Mr. Richard Guerriero, Knights of Columbus

Pastor Arlene O. Hall, Deliverance Temple Worship Center

Dcn. Charles Hall, St. John the Baptist Church, Peabody

Fr. Samuel Hanna, Priest, St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Natick

Pastor David R. Hill, Abundant Grace Church of Boston, Brighton

Chaplain Sherami Hinders, Evangelical Campus Ministries

Rev. Dr. Paul Jehle, The New Testament Church of Cedarville

Fr. Mina Kaddis, Sts. Paul and John Chrysostom Coptic Churches

Rev. Nicholas Kastanas, St. Athanasius the Great Church

Msgr. Frank Kelley, Sacred Heart Church

Ms. Verna Khantzian, Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church

Dr. Nabil Khudairy, Executive Director, Islamic Council of New England

Fr. John G. Kiley, St. Anne Church

Rabbi Yossi Kivman, Chabad Jewish Center of Mansfield

Rev. Panteleimon Klostri, St. Luke Church

Grand Rabbi Y.A. Korff, zvhil-Mezbuz Rebbe, Chaplain of the City of Boston

Rev. Dionysios Koulianos, St. Catherine Church

Rev. Mirek Kowalczyk, FDP, St. Joseph – St. Lazarus Church

Deacon John Koza, St. Mary of the Annunciation Church

Rev. Nicholas Krommydas, St. Demetrios Church

Dir. Michael King, Massachusetts Family Institute

Dir. Maryellen MacAdam, New Life Community Church

Imam Taalib Mahdee, Masjid al-Qur’aan

Rev. John Maheras, St. George Church

Rev. Christopher Makiej, Sts. Constantine and Helen Church

Rev. Konstatinos Manetas, Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church

Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester

Metropolitan Methodios, Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston

Rev. David Michael, St. Joseph Church

Rev. Kris Mineau, Massachusetts Family Institute

Pastor Paul Minor, All Saints’ Church

Rev. Vincent Minucci, St. Demetrios Church

Rev. Dr. Roberto Miranda, Congregacion Leon de Juda

Rev. Dimitrios Moraitis, St. Spyridon Cathedral

Pastor Gary Moritz, Twin City Baptist Temple

Rev. Demetre Mott, Annunciation Church

Rev. John G. Mulvihill, First Baptist Church

Rev. Athanasios Nenes, Taxiarchae Church

Very Rev. Makarios Niakaros, Holy Apostles/St.s Peter and Paul Church

Dr. Vito Nicastro, Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Boston

Mr. Paul G O’Sullivan, Knights of Columbus

Pastor Roy Owens, Baptist Church

Rev. Nikolaos Pelekoudas, Holy Trinity Church

Pastor Marc Peña Grace, Baptist Church

Rev. Ephraim Peters, St.s Constantine and Helen Church

Pastor John Pfeffer, Faith Community Church, Seekonk

Rev. Costin Popescu, Annunciation Church

Rev. Harry Providakes, St. George Church

Pastor George Ray, Trinity Evangelical Church, North Reading

Pastor Sean Richmond, The River Church

Rev. Peter Rizos, St. George Church

Very Rev. James J. Ronan, VF, St. Mary- St. Catherine of Siena Church

Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield

Rev. Thomas Ryan, CSP, The Paulist Center

Bishop Nicholas Samra, Eparchial Bishop of Newton Melkite Church USA

Rev. Mark Scott, Associate Pastor, Azusa Christian Community

Fr. Christopher H. Stamas, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Springfield

Rev. Charles Sutton, All Saints Anglican Church

Rev. Anthony Tandilyan, St. Vasilios Church

Pastor James Thomasson, Meetinghouse Baptist Church, Middleborough

Rev. Demetrios Tonias, Annunciation Cathedral

Rev. Theodore Toppses, St. Gregory the Theologian Church

Rev. George Tsoukalas, St. George Church

Exec. Dir. Yusufi Vali, Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center

Rev. Luke Veronis, Sts. Constantine and Helen Church

Rev. Harry Vulopas, St. George Church

Rev. Aaron Walker, St. Athanasius the Great Church

Rabbi H. David Werb, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Emunah

Fr. Richard Wilson, Sts. John and Vincent Churches

Rev. Dr. David Wright, Executive Director, Black Ministerial Alliance

Rev. Basil Yarde, Final Thrust Kingdom Community

Rev. Dr. Mark Yoon, Boston University Chaplain for Evangelical Students