The Charles River Regional Chamber urges Massachusetts residents to vote “no” on the proposed ballot question that would repeal Massachusetts' legalization of recreational marijuana.

Cannabis dispensaries in our communities are operated by carefully vetted business owners who contribute substantially to our economy and tax rolls.  We believe repealing it would be a costly, unnecessary mistake, although we do acknowledge the need for better enforcement of consumption in public spaces. 

In 2016, a clear majority of Massachusetts voters approved legal recreational cannabis. Over the past decade, it’s become an established part of the state's economy and early concerns that dispensaries would become a scourge on neighborhoods never materialized.

Today, Massachusetts' legal cannabis market generates approximately $1.6 to $1.7 billion in annual sales. More than 400 licensed retailers operate across the Commonwealth, employing thousands of residents and contributing to local economies.

Within the Charles River Regional Chamber's five communities alone, there are 13 licensed dispensaries. Together, they generate approximately $1.7 million annually for our municipalities through the state's 3% local cannabis excise tax. Those revenues help support important local services while the businesses themselves occupy storefronts, employ local residents and contribute to the vitality of our commercial districts.

These business owners have invested millions of dollars and years of work into their businesses. Reversing legalization would wipe out that investment overnight. 

While we support allowing these responsible businesses to continue, we are concerned about the lax enforcement of our public consumption laws in many communities. Inadequate enforcement creates real quality-of-life concerns, with the smell of cannabis too often permeating outdoor public spaces, including those frequented by children. 

However, repealing legalization is not the answer; enforcement of existing laws is.

Public cannabis consumption was illegal before 2016 and would remain an enforcement challenge after any repeal. Eliminating the legal market would instead drive consumers back to the illicit market while punishing responsible, licensed businesses operating under some of the strictest regulations in the country.

Rather than dismantling the industry, policymakers should focus on improving enforcement, addressing public nuisance concerns, and refining the regulatory framework where necessary. 

For these reasons, the Charles River Regional Chamber Board of Directors unanimously opposes this ballot question and encourages Massachusetts voters to vote no on this ballot question.