Worcester City Council Passes Resolution Opposing Question 8
Massachusetts voters face a statewide ballot measure on Nov. 3, 2026, that could wipe out the state’s commercial cannabis industry and recriminalize home cultivation for adults 21 and older. Worcester Mayor Joe Petty and fellow city council members passed a resolution 6-0 with five abstentions on Oct. 20 opposing the measure, known as Question 8, and urging city and state voters to defeat it.
What Question 8 Proposes for Massachusetts Cannabis Laws
The ballot measure, titled “An Act to Restore Sensible Marijuana Policy,” would repeal adult-use cannabis laws approved by Massachusetts voters a decade ago. If passed, the measure would dismantle commercial cultivation, manufacturing, laboratory testing, and dispensary sales across the state. It would also cut off tax revenue that has provided the commonwealth roughly $1.7 billion since December 2018, threaten approximately 27,000 industry jobs, and eliminate the current allowance for adults 21 and older to grow up to six plants at home for personal use.
“Question 8 would wipe all of this framework away,” Mayor Joe Petty said during the Oct. 20 city council meeting. “[It would] recriminalize local businesses and hand the market, along with all of its profits, right back to unlicensed street dealers. From a public safety and public health perspective, going backward makes absolutely no sense.”
Backers and Opponents of the 2026 Repeal Measure
The push to repeal the state’s cannabis laws is sponsored by the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts Inc. and financially backed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Action Inc. The prohibitionist group has contributed more than $3.7 million in dark money to the initiative following a $250,000 contribution on Oct. 14.
Mayor Petty joins a growing list of public officials opposing the measure, including Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, U.S. House Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and 63 state senators and representatives. Petty defended the current regulatory framework during the council meeting, noting that licensed retailers must check IDs twice under video surveillance. He added that youth cannabis use among Massachusetts high school students has fallen 57% since regulations took effect.
Polls Show Majority of Likely Voters Oppose Measure
Recent public opinion polls indicate the ballot measure faces an uphill battle among likely voters. A September CommonWealth Beacon/MassINC Polling Group survey projected 61% of likely voters plan to oppose the measure, while 27% plan to support it. A Bay State Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire found 71% opposed and 24% in support.
Two additional October polls show similar margins. A University of Massachusetts Amherst/WCVB poll conducted Oct. 5-14 found 61% of registered voters plan to vote against the measure, and 31% plan to vote for it. Raymond La Raja, a UMass Amherst political science professor and co-director of the poll, noted that a decade after legalization, Massachusetts voters show little appetite for returning to prohibition. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of 500 likely voters conducted Oct. 14-18 similarly found that 71% oppose Question 8 while 21% support it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Question 8
When will Massachusetts voters decide on Question 8?
Voters will head to the polls on Nov. 3, 2026, to cast their ballots on the statewide measure.
How much tax revenue has the adult-use cannabis market generated?
The legal marketplace has provided the commonwealth roughly $1.7 billion in tax revenue since December 2018.
Who is financing the push to repeal legalization?
The ballot initiative is sponsored by the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts Inc. and backed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Action Inc., which has contributed more than $3.7 million in dark money.
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