A large majority of Massachusetts voters say they would reject a November ballot proposal that seeks to undo the state’s legal recreational marijuana market, according to new polling.
The Bay State Poll, released September 24, found that 71% of respondents intend to vote against the proposal, while 24% said they’d support it. Five percent remained undecided. The survey included 590 Massachusetts residents questioned online from September 17 through September 21.
The proposal, Question 8, would repeal laws authorizing, regulating, and taxing retail sales of adult-use marijuana. The proposal would repeal provisions permitting home cultivation. Adults aged at least 21 would still be allowed to possess limited quantities of marijuana under the proposed changes.
If approved, Massachusetts would become the first state to reverse a voter-approved legal recreational marijuana retail system after establishing a regulated market.
The latest polling comes as supporters and opponents of the proposal continue to spend heavily on the campaign. Earlier financial reports showed a substantial fundraising advantage for groups backing the rollback, while cannabis businesses and industry allies have also committed significant resources to opposing it.
The proposal has faced controversy since qualifying for the ballot. Critics have accused paid petition circulators of misleading members of the public while collecting signatures. Supporters of the measure have disputed criticism of the petition drive, while the dispute has become part of the broader political battle surrounding Question 8.
The initiative has attracted national attention because Massachusetts was among the states that helped expand legal recreational marijuana sales.
Support for the rollback varies across political groups. The survey found greater backing among Republicans and conservatives (33%) than among Democrats (23%), although support remained below a majority in each group. Libertarian voters showed particularly strong support (91%) for the proposal.
Opponents of Question 8 argue that defeating the measure would have implications beyond Massachusetts, particularly for organizations that have spent years challenging cannabis legalization. Ryan Dominguez, chair of the campaign opposing Question 8, has argued that the Massachusetts contest could affect the ability of national prohibition groups to pursue similar efforts elsewhere.
Other states have also seen attempts to reconsider marijuana legalization, although the approaches and outcomes have varied.
The proposal could also have consequences for municipal budgets. In Gardner, Worcester County local officials have warned that changes to the marijuana industry could put about $300,000 in annual revenue at risk, according to local reporting.
The entire marijuana industry in the country, including established firms like TerrAscend Corp. (TSX: TSND) (OTCQX: TSNDF), will be monitoring how the proposal fares when the November polls come round.
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