The Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association has raised serious concerns over what it calls “organized voter fraud” related to potential cannabis ballot initiatives in the state. The controversy centers around a marijuana petition that could reverse years of progress in Massachusetts’ cannabis industry. The group alleges that out-of-state operatives are engaging in dirty tricks to undermine the will of voters who legalized recreational cannabis in 2016.
Massachusetts residents originally voted in favor of decriminalizing possession, sale, use, and cultivation of recreational cannabis nearly a decade ago. However, the new marijuana petition the Massachusetts Alter Marijuana Regulation Laws Initiative (2026) seeks to repeal these laws through the “Act To Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy.” According to critics, this move represents a coordinated effort using dirty tricks to roll back legalization and dismantle a thriving state industry.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association reports numerous instances of fraudulent activity linked to the marijuana petition, including fake cover sheets for unrelated petitions and misleading descriptions of ballot questions. David O’Brien, President and CEO of the Association, said for-hire signature gatherers from out of state are to blame for these dirty tricks.
“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 stated. He emphasized that this level of deception amounts to voter fraud and urged citizens to report any suspicious marijuana petition activity to their local town hall.
This money supports public health, education, law enforcement, and safety programs. O’Brien warned that repealing these laws through a misleading marijuana petition would not only hurt small business owners but also deprive the state of valuable resources all while being driven by out-of-state interests using dirty tricks to manipulate voters.
In September, Massachusetts’ Attorney General announced that the initiative to repeal cannabis laws had been cleared to begin signature collection. To qualify, petitioners must gather 74,574 signatures by early December and file them with the Secretary of State’s Office. If approved, the marijuana petition will move to the Legislature in January, where lawmakers can pass, amend, or ignore it. Should the Legislature take no action, backers must collect another 12,429 signatures to place it on the statewide ballot.
If it reaches the ballot, the marijuana petition will require a simple majority vote to pass but with at least 30% of total votes cast in the election in its favor. For now, the Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association continues to warn voters to stay alert, report suspicious activity, and protect the integrity of the democratic process from these ongoing dirty tricks.
