Massachusetts AG Approves Ballot Petition to Repeal Adult-Use Cannabis Law  

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has approved the ballot
petition to repeal the commonwealth’s adult-use cannabis law. The proposal by
Caroline Cunningham comes in the form of two proposed laws, which are both
titled “An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy,” and would end
retail cannabis sales and the right by adults to cultivate cannabis at home.

“I applaud the civic engagement of our residents, who filed a
record-breaking 47 ballot initiative petitions this year. My office reviews
each petition according to the strict criteria outlined in Article 48 of
our state constitution. Our personal opinions and any constitutional
considerations outside of Article 48 cannot weigh into our decision-making
about certification of a petition.” — Campbell in a press release

As a proposed law, rather than constitutional amendment, proponents must
now gather and file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth the signatures
of 74,574 registered voters by December 3, 2025. Once the signatures are
verified, the proposal will be sent to the lawmakers in January 2026 for
its consideration on or before the first Wednesday of May 2026. If the
Legislature does not enact a proposal, proponents must gather
12,429 additional signatures from registered voters by July 1, 2026, to
place the proposed law on the November 2026 ballot.

The proposals would decriminalize possession of more than one ounce but
less than two ounces, and a violation of the law would be a civil offense
with a $100 fine. Adults would still be able to gift cannabis to each
other.

Medical cannabis would also remain legal under the proposals, but “version A”
would outlaw flower with THC concentration higher than 30%, concentrates
with potency greater than 60%, and edibles with more than 5 milligrams of
THC per serving. “Version B” would task the Cannabis Control Commission and
the state health department with ensuring “that the production and
distribution of medical use marijuana is effectively regulated,” but does
not outline product potency limits.