In the wake of Tuesday’s giant win on Question 8 in Massachusetts, we have a lot of thoughts, analyses, and feelings, starting with our mission to use lessons learned in the repeal gauntlet to sound alarms about similar looming threats in other states.
In the meantime, we’re gleeful to furnish a conduit for all and any information about the successful opposition to the effort to repeal adult-use marijuana on this year’s November ballot. Below is the statement issued by No on 8: Stop the Repeal Campaign Chair Ryan Dominguez “on the election results that keep in place the Commonwealth’s legal cannabis law” …
Voters told an out-of-state effort that wanted to dismantle a decade of work and replace progress with restrictive policies, ‘No’.
Massachusetts voters know that our safe, regulated cannabis market is working. Over the last year, we have built a broad coalition of elected officials, advocates, business owners, public health leaders, workers and community members who stood together in this effort to ‘Stop the Repeal.’
In 2016, voters made a clear choice to replace restrictive policies with a safe, regulated cannabis market. In the decade since, Massachusetts has built a system that prioritizes public health, consumer safety, responsible regulation, and equitable opportunities.
Voters recognized that repealing recreational cannabis laws would have devastating impacts on our communities, taking us backwards economically and with respect to public safety and public health. Since legalization, the cannabis industry has brought in close to $2 billion in state and local revenue.
The revenue from the Marijuana Regulation Fund, the main fund that receives cannabis revenue, supports public health programs, investments in communities, law enforcement and public safety, as well as regulatory oversight, with the highest amount of funding going to public safety.
With a legal market staying in Massachusetts, our communities are safer because there is no need for consumers to go back into unregulated markets. Since legalization, Massachusetts has implemented one of the nation’s most robust regulatory systems for cannabis sales, ensuring products are tested for safety, sold only to adults over the age of 21, and subject to strict oversight.
And for the hundreds of small businesses that have invested life savings into building their legal businesses that create jobs and support local economies, the work continues. Since the first retail locations opened in November 2018 over 400 adult-use marijuana retail locations have opened across the state. That’s 400 additional businesses in Massachusetts – 400 businesses that hire our friends and neighbors, businesses that occupy once-empty storefronts, businesses that bring money into our local economy.
This campaign has always been about protecting our communities, supporting local businesses and not turning back the clock on public safety, public health and economic opportunity. We know there is still work to do, and industry leaders like myself look forward to continuing to work with legislators, elected officials, researchers, public health and safety experts, and our communities to continue to enhance our systems.
We are grateful to everyone who took the time to knock on doors, make phone calls and spread the word about this campaign and to help Stop the Repeal of cannabis in Massachusetts.
