AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine campaign finance data confirms early reports that a nationally-backed marijuana legalization drive is raising more money than a local organization with the same goal.
The reports say the Committee to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol raised $51,155 between January and the end of March. The group is an effort of the national Marijuana Policy Project. Local group Legalize Maine raised $30,285 in the same period.
Almost all of the money raised by the Committee to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol came from Marijuana Policy Project. Legalize Maine's money came from a variety of Maine donors.
The groups want to collect enough signatures to get marijuana legalization on the state ballot in 2016. Marijuana Policy Project led successful city-wide initiatives in Portland and South Portland and a failed one in Lewiston.