Petitioners for Massachusetts Campaign to Repeal Adult-Use Cannabis Law Accused of Fraud

The paid signature gatherers working on behalf of the Massachusetts campaign seeking
to repeal the commonwealth’s adult-use cannabis law are being accused of
fraud, including using bait-and-switch tactics and tricking people into
signing the petition by using fake cover sheets.

The allegations are being circulated online, including a post on Reddit
that claims a signature gatherer was asking people to “sign a petition to
make sure kids didn’t go to jail for minor marijuana offenses.” Another post on
Facebook suggests individuals associated with the campaign are telling
people that the proposal will “stop throwing kids in jail for weed.”

Another post on Reddit includes a photo of two men sitting at a table with
a sign reading “Massachusetts Petitions” for affordable housing and
same-day voter registration, but the petitions being circulated at the
table are for the campaign to repeal adult-use cannabis reforms.

In a statement, David O’Brien, president and CEO of Massachusetts Cannabis
Business Association, urged citizens to report such tactics – which could
be considered voter fraud under Massachusetts law – to their local town
hall.

“These out of state crews go from state to state collecting signatures and
clearly they’re having trouble here in Massachusetts finding people who
want to repeal our highly effective cannabis laws and kill our successful
cannabis industry.” — O’Brien in a press release

The proposal to roll back the adult-use program is led by Caroline
Cunningham and 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 adults’ right to cultivate cannabis at home.

As a proposed law, rather than a constitutional amendment, the
campaign 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 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 include provisions to decriminalize possession of more than
one ounce but less than two ounces, and violating 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.