Cannabis reform progress is under attack in multiple states

Prohibitionist efforts to derail hardfought reforms are underway across the country, and at least four states are currently facing direct threats to voter-enacted cannabis laws. 

Opposition groups are funding robust campaigns and using misinformation and deception to gather signatures in support of ballot initiatives that would gut adult-use laws in Massachusetts and Maine. Ohio lawmakers are on the brink of recriminalizing many cannabis consumers, and in Nebraska, authorities are pushing to dismantle the voter-approved medical cannabis law.

These disturbing moves are also likely serving as trial balloons to test voter appetite for rolling back cannabis reform progress in other states, and MPP is working with allies to defend these crucial achievements for our movement. 

Proposed ballot initiatives in Massachusetts and Maine to repeal adult-use sales

November 8 marked nine years since Maine and Massachusetts voters legalized adult-use cannabis. In both states, prohibitionists have proposed initiatives to recriminalize adult-use sales and home cultivation. These measures would force consumers to unregulated cannabis providers and across state lines, and eliminate tax revenues that fund public health, public safety, community reinvestment, and social equity programs.

In Massachusetts, anti-legalization organizers claim they’re on track to place their regressive initiative on the 2026 ballot. Voters report petitioners are engaged in widespread deception, pretending they are collecting petitions for completely different issues.

In Maine, ballot language to ban adult-use cannabis sales and home cultivation was filed in October. Signature gathering has not yet begun.

Ohio Senate and House vote to undermine voter-approved legalization measure 

After Ohio voters approved a legalization measure in 2023, prohibitionist lawmakers and their allies have been persistently working to chip away at cannabis freedom and access. A bill that is headed to a conference committee would erode the voter-enacted law, including by re-criminalizing cannabis consumers who do not purchase their cannabis from a regulated dispensary, and eliminating anti-discrimination protections including child custody rights. After popular outcry, lawmakers abandoned some other rollbacks, including bans on sharing and home cultivation. 

Nebraska authorities continue efforts to dismantle medical cannabis law

In Nebraska, voters overwhelmingly enacted two medical cannabis initiatives in November 2024. Since then, the heroic group of families that worked so hard for relief have faced attacks on their laws at every turn. 

Former Republican Senator John Kuehn is trying to overturn the voter-approved medical cannabis ballot initiatives in court. Meanwhile, regulators have passed rules that gut medical cannabis access — including by prohibiting edibles, raw cannabis/flower, and vaporization cannabis, which are all allowed in the law.    

In contrast, the Omaha Tribe has moved forward with compassion. In July, tribal members voted for cannabis legalization, and the tribe plans to allow Nebraskans the medical cannabis access voters approved. Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) warned Nebraskans who purchase cannabis on the Omaha Tribe’s territory that they do so “at their own peril.”  

These are just a few of the growing number of attempts to undermine the will of voters and roll back cannabis reform policies nationwide. MPP will continue to monitor and combat these regressive threats, but there is no doubt that 2025 marks the arrival of a bold neo-prohibitionist push to halt and reverse legalization progress.