Petition to Repeal Massachusetts Cannabis Market Advances Despite Claims of Misled Voters

The campaign to repeal the Massachusetts adult-use cannabis market is
proceeding to the House of Representatives for consideration despite
reports that the campaign’s signature gatherers misled voters into signing
the petition, The Boston Globe reports.

The State Ballot Law Commission on Thursday struck down a legal challenge
to the petition that referenced multiple allegations of signature gatherers
for the anti-cannabis campaign lying to signatories about the petition,
among other fraudulent strategies.

The repeal campaign received over $1.5 million in donations from the
cannabis prohibition group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM).

With the challenge dismissed, the petition will move forward in the ballot
approval process. Under state law, however, lawmakers can choose to adopt
initiatives submitted by the public before they reach the ballot.

“With this decision, the certification of this round of petitions has now
formally ended… If the Legislature chooses not to pass any of the
initiatives, the petitioners will have the opportunity to begin the final
round of signature gathering in May.” — Secretary of State William Galvin,
in a press release

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts cannabis market has continued to grow since
its 2018 launch — dispensaries set a new annual sales record last year at
more than $1.65 billion, and the commonwealth is approaching $9 billion in
total sales.