By Chris Faraone

This is neither the first nor will it be my last email dedicated to sounding alarms about the effort to close cannabis dispensaries in Massachusetts. These words do however come at a critical time; with the primary behind us, it's a straight shot to Election Day.

You’d think there might be fewer distractions between now and Nov. 3, but with eight other ballot questions and everything else going on in the world, the attention deficit is real. All of that considered, here are five things you can do—indeed, that we must do—in order to effectively beat the prohibitionists back and keep cannabis legal in the commonwealth.

1 - Get informed. In order to properly advocate, you have to know the issue inside-out. Don't be like these dimwits who phone bank for candidates without knowing jack spit about their positions. Basics include a comprehension of the tragically confusing Question 8 language, so that you can translate it into actual human terms for friends and maybe coworkers. Ballotpedia is great, MassCann has a thorough resource, and of course we'll do our best to keep your knowledge on point too.

2 - Flank, echo, and amplify the noise that is already in progress to oppose the repeal. That could mean texting friends and family members the link to the MassCann site, or re-posting the videos TJM is doing with industry workers. It could mean bringing No On 8 flyers to the nursing home where you volunteer, or having a weed party for friends and family members who have never done something like that. Do you go to church? Let them know too. We need to get the message as far out of typical cannabis circles as possible.

3 - Reach beyond the usual obvious weed supporters. Don't just preach at cathedrals, mosques, and synagogues. Spread the No On Question 8 gospel wherever you go; the further from the choir, the better. I've been wearing my Stop The Repeal gear to pickleball, and in any given week it allows me the chance to speak with dozens of people who had no idea about the referendum. Some of them are disappointingly ambivalent to learn about it, while a few already knew. But most had no idea, and have since joined in the silent opposition.

4 - Fight propaganda. Unfortunately, it's not only important to inform the public about the positive aspects of cannabis, like the hundreds of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue that legal weed generates. Some folks have to bark back, especially when prohibitionists get platformed by the mainstream press. I'm not saying you should repost reefer madness just to poke holes in their arguments, but please do counter propaganda where you see it. Write letters to the editor, and if you're up for it, make your own media. A message from someone who rarely posts is more powerful than another damn video clip from a person like me who whines every day.

5 - Register to vote. And perhaps even help others get registered. You can do that plus find poll and voter info on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website, but in the meantime, dates that you want to remember include: Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 24, 2026; Vote by Mail Application Deadline: 5pm, Oct. 27, 2026; Early Voting: Oct. 17 - Oct. 30, 2026; State Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026; Election Day Polling Hours: 7am – 8pm. See you there.