Massachusetts’ Marijuana Repeal Campaign Scores Another Early Win Despite Fraud Accusations

The controversial push to dismantle Massachusetts’ $1.6 billion adult-use cannabis market has secured another major early victory despite intensifying allegations that the campaign is built, in part, on deceptive signature-gathering tactics.

A spokesperson for the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts told The Cannabis Business Times the group “is confident it has submitted enough signatures to put the question on the ballot” ahead of the state’s Nov. 19 filing deadline.

If certified, the initiative would advance to the next stage of the state’s multi-step ballot qualification process and continue toward potential placement on the 2026 ballot.

A Ballot Measure That Would Roll Back the State’s Cannabis Legalization Framework

The repeal proposal officially titled the “Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy”—was filed over the summer by lead sponsor Caroline Cunningham, a member of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.

If ultimately passed by voters, the measure would:

• Outlaw all adult-use cannabis retail sales in the state

• Repeal Chapters 94G and 64N, the laws governing adult-use sales and cannabis taxation

• Preserve medical marijuana, home cultivation and “gifting” between adults 21+

In short, Massachusetts’ regulated recreational cannabis system—one of the strongest revenue generators in the region would be dismantled.

Campaign Claims 74,574 Signatures Collected and Aims for 100,000

To remain alive heading into December, the repeal campaign needed to submit at least 74,574 signatures by Nov. 19. Campaign spokesperson Wendy Wakeman told The Cannabis Business Times the coalition met that threshold and could ultimately gather as many as 100,000 signatures.

The next checkpoint arrives Dec. 3, when the measure must clear local certification and advance to state-level review.

But the signature-gathering process has already been clouded by controversy.

Fraud Allegations Grow as Voters Report Deceptive Petitioning Tactics

Multiple accounts describe signature gatherers approaching voters and misrepresenting what the petition actually does. Reports include claims that canvassers told voters the petition would address fentanyl, housing issues or unrelated public health concerns.

Wakeman, in comments said she had no knowledge of deceptive tactics and stressed that any individuals accused of doing so are volunteers, not paid staff.

Cannabis industry advocates remain unconvinced.

Cannabis Trade Groups Call the Tactics “Voter Fraud,” But Options Are Limited

The Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association, a statewide industry group, has categorized the misleading pitches as voter fraud.

Yet under state law, political canvassers are protected by free-speech rights, even when making misleading claims. That limits the immediate legal recourse available to opponents.

Elections observers note that individual voters who believe they were misled can request to have their signatures removed, potentially threatening the petition’s qualification if enough rescind their support.

For now, however, the broader effort continues moving forward.

Funding Sources Remain Unknown Until January

One major unanswered question is who is financing the repeal campaign. Because Massachusetts requires campaign finance disclosures only after specific deadlines, the public won’t learn who is backing the effort until January filings are released.

That information could prove pivotal for both supporters and opponents heading into the next stage of the ballot qualification process.

Repealing Adult-Use Sales Would Reverse a Booming $1.6B Market

Massachusetts’ cannabis industry remains one of the strongest in the country. According to state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) data:

• Annual sales are on pace to exceed $1.6 billion in 2025

• Retailers broke monthly sales records multiple times during the first half of this year

• Adult-use cannabis is now a major, stable source of tax revenue and employment

A full repeal of adult-use sales would eliminate one of the state’s fastest-growing industries, reshaping business operations, municipal revenue and consumer access across Massachusetts.

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