On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Worcester City Council will consider a resolution introduced by Mayor Joe Petty that formally opposes Question 8 – the statewide ballot measure that would end licensed recreational marijuana sales in Massachusetts. If adopted, the resolution places the council on record against the repeal and affirms support for a “responsible and well‑regulated adult‑use cannabis marketplace.”
Local economic and safety arguments
The council’s position stresses that repealing the law would threaten industry jobs and cut off the tax revenue that Worcester and other host communities collect from licensed businesses. Since legalization, Worcester has collected $8.54 million in local cannabis excise revenue, including $1.89 million last year, according to the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, which also endorsed the “no” campaign.
Council members argue that demand for marijuana would not disappear after a repeal, but would instead shift to an illegal market lacking product testing and age‑verification safeguards. The resolution therefore favors a regulated market while explicitly stating it does not endorse marijuana use.
Statewide context and ballot details
Massachusetts voters approved recreational marijuana in 2016, with 54 % backing Question 4. Question 8 would repeal the laws that allow licensed retail sales of marijuana for adult use, with the change slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2028.
Under the proposed measure, adults 21 and older could still possess up to one ounce of marijuana (no more than five grams of concentrate) and share it with another adult. Possession of one to two ounces would carry a $100 civil fine and forfeiture of the product. People under 21 found with up to two ounces would face a $100 fine, a drug‑awareness program and community service, and their parents or guardians would receive notice.
Industry impact
Licensed adult‑use businesses recorded $1.65 billion in sales in 2025, generating $289 million in state tax revenue for fiscal 2025 and supporting roughly 18,000 jobs. A “yes” vote would eliminate licensed, taxed retail sales and shift the Cannabis Control Commission’s focus solely to the medical market, ending home cultivation (currently allowed up to six plants per adult) and forcing many retailers to re‑apply as medical dispensaries.
Campaigns and polling
The “no” side is led by the Committee to Protect Cannabis Regulation, which has raised $2.3 million. Governor Maura Healey has pledged a “no” vote, and Republican challenger Michael Minogue warned that it is “too late to repeal” legalization.
Public opinion polls consistently show the repeal measure trailing. A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll released in late September found 71 % of respondents planning to vote “no” and 24 % planning to vote “yes.” A MassINC poll of 800 likely voters (Sept. 14‑22) put the “no” side at 61 % versus 27 % for “yes,” with 11 % undecided. An August poll by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and WCVB reported 55 % of registered voters opposed or leaned against the measure, while 33 % supported it.
Election timeline
Massachusetts voters will decide the fate of Question 8 on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early in‑person voting began Saturday, Oct. 17 and runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Residents must register by Saturday, Oct. 24, according to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office.
The Worcester City Council’s resolution adds a local voice to the statewide debate, emphasizing the community’s reliance on a regulated cannabis market for jobs, revenue and public‑health safeguards.
Original reporting: This Week in Worcester — read the source article.
