Maine Governor Paul LePage has signed a measure for marijuana legalization after a ballot initiative approval by voters.
With the signature, Maine has become the ninth state to legalize recreational marijuana use.
According to the law, adults of ages 21 above will be permitted to use the said drug in the privacy of their own homes or other places that are not public.
People in Maine will be allowed to have as much as 2.5 ounces or 70.9 grams of marijuana.
However, people will not be able to purchase marijuana not until state officials and lawmakers set up regulatory legislation and establish laws for retail sales.
Gov. LePage called on the legislature to put a moratorium on the sale of marijuana until lawmakers could thresh out details of funding to set up the regulatory framework on the sale of marijuana according to a report by the Portland Press Herald.
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is tasked to regulate the commercial sales of the drug.
David Boyer, Maine's political director for Marijuana Policiy Project and spokesperson for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol questions the moratorium as according the new law, legislative leaders have nine months to develop the regulatory framework.
A poll set up by Gallup in October showed that 60 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization for recreational use. An even more number of Americans support the drugs medical application.
President-elect Donald Trump, who will be taking office in January 20, has sent mixed signal about the legalization of the drug. During his campaign, Trump, a Republican stated that it was best left to the states to decide on the legalization of marijuana.
With the new law, Maine has become the second state in the northeast to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The drug remains illegal under federal law according to a report by Reuters.
