A new poll shows Massachusetts voters oppose repealing adult-use cannabis legalization by a margin of more than two to one, with Question 8 trailing 65% to 32% among likely voters ahead of the November ballot.
The survey, conducted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Poll, found strong support for maintaining the state's legal cannabis framework that voters approved in 2016. Just 3% of respondents remain undecided on the repeal measure.
"There's no 'buyer's remorse' among Massachusetts voters when it comes to legalizing cannabis," said Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML. "That's because these policies are largely working as intended and because Massachusetts voters prefer legalization and regulation over the failed policy of marijuana prohibition."
The Numbers
The poll surveyed 800 likely voters between September 15-20, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Opposition to repeal spans demographic groups, with majorities in nearly every age bracket and political affiliation supporting the current legal market.
Massachusetts has generated over $3.7 billion in total cannabis sales since adult-use stores opened in 2018, according to the Cannabis Control Commission. The state collected $217 million in cannabis tax revenue in fiscal year 2025 alone.
Question 8 would eliminate the state's adult-use cannabis program entirely if passed, shuttering more than 400 licensed dispensaries and cultivation facilities. The measure was placed on the ballot through a citizen petition drive backed by prohibitionist groups.
Industry Response
The Massachusetts Cannabis Industry Association has opposed the repeal effort, arguing it would eliminate thousands of jobs and push consumers back to the illicit market. The state's legal cannabis sector employs approximately 15,000 workers across cultivation, retail, manufacturing, and testing facilities.
"Voters understand that prohibition didn't work and won't work," said David O'Brien, president of the Marijuana Policy Project. "Massachusetts has built a regulated market that generates tax revenue, creates jobs, and keeps cannabis out of the hands of minors far more effectively than the black market ever could."
The repeal campaign has struggled to gain traction despite outspending legalization advocates. Opponents raised just $127,000 through August, compared to more than $2.1 million for the coalition defending legal cannabis.
What's Next
Question 8 appears on the November 5 general election ballot alongside several other cannabis-related measures across the country. If the current polling holds, Massachusetts would join the growing list of states where voters have rejected attempts to roll back legalization.
Similar repeal efforts have failed in other legal states. Alaska voters defeated a repeal measure in 2018 by a 63-37 margin, while Montana voters upheld their legalization law in 2022 despite a well-funded opposition campaign.
The Massachusetts vote comes as federal rescheduling efforts continue to stall in Washington. The DEA has delayed its final decision on moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III until at least early 2027, leaving state-legal programs in regulatory limbo.
Early voting in Massachusetts begins October 21. The Cannabis Control Commission has said it would begin an orderly shutdown of the legal market if Question 8 passes, though the timeline and process remain unclear.
This article is based on original reporting by norml.org.
