On Saturday September 28th, 2019, MAPA advocates participated in a Peace March in Lowell, MA to protest recreational pot shops.
Coordinated by the community’s faith-based network, several congregations and hundreds of Lowell residents joined together to march up the city’s main street chanting: “Lowell does not need weed to succeed”. The multi-racial, multi-faith crowd held up signs promoting messages like: “Save Our Kids”, “Save Our City”, and “War on Addiction”.
A number of advocates spoke to the masses from the steps of Lowell City Hall, including one mother whose 15-year old child had recently experienced a life-threatening seizure due to dabbing marijuana. Other critical issues addressed included marijuana-related psychosis and suicide, deaths of young people from vaping, and the need for Lowell to be drug-free. At least one City Councilor was in attendance. Although a press release was sent out, not one media outlet, including the Lowell Sun, covered the event.
Lowell is the fourth largest city in Massachusetts and lies 30 miles north of Boston. Currently, the city has one medical marijuana shop that was approved for selling recreational marijuana in March 2019. A maximum of five recreational pot dispensaries are allowed to open in Lowell. As of December, the City is considering at least seven applicants; four have been offered host community agreements.
