This question would reverse the state's 2016 legalization of cannabis.
Medical marijuana would still be legal, as would possession of small amounts. But the state's legal cannabis industry — including hundreds of adult-use cannabis stores, growing operations and related businesses — would have to shut down.
The first cannabis stores accessible to anyone 21 or older, regardless of whether they had a doctor's note, opened in 2018. The industry had $1.65 billion in sales in 2025 and brought in $289 million in state sales taxes in fiscal year 2025, according to the state's Cannabis Control Commission.
What do supporters say?
Supporters say they worry about overuse of cannabis, the potency of legal cannabis products in the state and people driving high. They also say making cannabis less accessible would reduce demand.
"You've got to look at both sides of the ledger on the tax revenue," Stephen Kronberg of the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts told GBH's Boston Public Radio. "Yes, it does generate, last year, I believe it was $289 million that it generated in tax revenue. Look at the flip side of that. What are the costs of sending somebody to the hospital?" There have been a few small studies exploring how often people go to emergency rooms because of cannabis use, which you can read here and here.
What do opponents say?
Opponents say eliminating the legal industry would not keep people from getting cannabis — it would simply remove state regulation of the market.
"This is about keeping a regulated market that tests products for safety for both patients and customers," Ryan Dominguez of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition told GBH's Boston Public Radio. "It ensures that people who are under 21 are not getting those products, and then also invest(s) in things like substance addiction services. … And that's not even talking about the $2 billion in tax revenue that we've generated for the state [since legalization], and tens of thousands of jobs that are currently employing Massachusetts residents."
Who is paying for this?
A group called the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts, Inc. has spent almost $2.7 million supporting this question. The fundraising arm of a nonprofit called Smart Approaches to Marijuana, or SAM, has contributed $3.4 million. The group has not publicly disclosed its donors. NEPM's Phillip Bishop examines the nonprofit's Massachusetts history here.
On the opposing side, a group called the Committee to Protect Cannabis Regulation has spent about $1 million. Its funding has come largely from cannabis companies, many of which operate in multiple states, including $265,000 from Insa, $250,000 from Ascend Wellness Holdings and $125,000 from Vireo Health.
Bottom line:
A "Yes" vote would require recreational cannabis shops, as well as growers, to shut down. A "No" vote would keep the current law in place.
More resources:
- Video: Debating Question 8 on Boston Public Radio
- Article: Who's funding the effort to repeal legal recreational weed? It might not be who you think.
- Article: Recreational marijuana repeal supporter says potency, addiction risk warrant legalization rollback
- Summary from the Secretary of State's Office
- Video: A special committee hearing on Question 8
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