Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley are both speaking out publicly against a November ballot measure (Question 8) that seeks to repeal key elements of Massachusetts’ voter-approved marijuana legalization law.
Speaking on WCVB Boston’s weekly Sunday morning political program On the Record, Gov. Healey said: “I’d vote no [on Question 8]. We’ve got to keep recreational marijuana here in Massachusetts. It’s an important industry, the cannabis industry, and I hope the voters keep cannabis.”
In April, Gov. Healey signed legislation into law doubling the amount of cannabis (from one ounce to two ounces) that adults may legally purchase, possess in public, and gift to one another. At that time she said: “The cannabis industry is an important part of the Massachusetts economy – supporting jobs and local businesses and generating revenue for cities and towns. It’s important that we are doing everything we can to make sure this industry is set up for success and that we remain competitive in this fast-growing market.”
The licensed cannabis industry in Massachusetts currently employs nearly 18,000 workers. Tax revenue from regulated marijuana sales has yielded over $1.5 billion dollars.
Governor Healey is running for re-election in November. Her Republican opponent Michael Minogue has also commented on Question 8, saying it’s “too late to repeal” the state’s adult-use marijuana legalization laws. Healey is leading Minogue in the election race.
Massachusetts’ Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has similarly expressed her opposition to the repeal effort.
“Cannabis legalization and regulation is positive for small businesses, local communities, and restorative justice. And keeping marijuana legal in Massachusetts is both economic justice and racial justice policy,” Pressley said in a statement released today by the ‘No on 8’ campaign.
“With Black, Hispanic, and other marginalized communities disproportionately ravaged by the War on Drugs, legalizing adult-use cannabis in Massachusetts was designed in part to begin addressing that legacy, through social equity programs, economic opportunities, and investments in communities harmed by prohibition,” she continued. “Repealing legal adult use would undo this progress and have devastating impacts on the livelihoods of those who have invested their life savings into their businesses, communities and supporting thousands of jobs. We must vote No on 8.”
Question 8 seeks to repeal decade-old laws permitting adults to home-cultivate marijuana and regulating the adult-use retail cannabis market, among other changes. Financing for the campaign has come almost entirely from a single out-of-state special interest group.
Statewide polling finds most voters oppose Question 8. Recent polling provided last week by the University of New Hampshire finds that 71 percent of respondents say that they intend to vote against the measure.
“This campaign is not about promoting the health and safety of Massachusetts residents; it is a trial balloon by a prohibitionist interest group intent upon rolling back legal cannabis markets nationwide,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano wrote in recent commentary in The Boston Herald.
November’s vote will mark the first time that voters have ever decided on a ballot measure to repeal an existing adult-use marijuana legalization law. Massachusetts’ voters approved legalization in 2016.
Armentano added: “There’s no ‘buyer’s remorse’ among Massachusetts’ voters when it comes to legalizing cannabis and this fact will become even clearer come November. That’s because these policies are largely working as intended and because Massachusetts voters prefer legalization and regulation over the failed policy of marijuana prohibition.”
NORML has several resources and fact sheets opposing the initiative campaign available in Election Central. Additional information is available from the Committee to Protect Cannabis Regulation.