Almost 8,000 low-income children over the age of 5 are currently on waiting lists for after-school programs, marijuana money might shorten their wait.

State Lawmakers have proposed using a portion of marijuana tax revenues to help Massachusetts children gain access to after-school and summer learning programs.

“Kids in afterschool programs are less likely to be unattended somewhere, on the street somewhere, and experimenting. So it’s a great way of I think dovetailing, this new source of revenue in with programs that help kids succeed and grow,” said State Representative Jennifer Benson. 

The Legislature’s Afterschool and Out-of-School Time Coordination Council said that children who attend after-school programs perform better in school and have fewer behavioral issues. 

The council also said that additional funding would help working parents who don’t have after-school care for their children. 

Lawmakers acknowledged that state hasn’t seen any marijuana tax revenue yet, but they feel this program would put it to good use.