Cannabis reform’s sworn enemy is claiming credit for the quests to end adult-use marijuana sales in Maine and Massachusetts, where in the latter state signature-gatherers are allegedly resorting to deceptive tactics.
Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a Washington, D.C., area-based anti-legalization organization, is contributing “multi-million-dollar support” to voter initiative campaigns that, if successful, would end a combined $1.8 billion in annual cannabis sales, its founder and president claimed last week.
State-level adult-use cannabis legalization campaigns have had mixed success in past years, with voters rejecting adult-use pushes in Oklahoma in 2023 and Florida last year.
But never have state voters or lawmakers had second thoughts and rolled back adult-use or medical marijuana legalization.
That would change if voter-initiative campaigns in Massachusetts, where signature-gathering is underway, and in Maine, where the state attorney general cleared petitions to begin, are successful.
If passed, cannabis would remain legal for adults but medical cannabis would be the only legal sales channel.
Annual cannabis sales exceed $1.6 billion in Massachusetts and are approaching $300 million in Maine, according to state data.
Who’s behind campaigns to end adult-use marijuana sales in Massachusetts and Maine?
Republican Party-affiliated political operatives with the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts have declined to say who’s paying for the pricey signature-gathering campaign – and with campaign finance filings still not due, that information is not publicly available.
Wendy Wakeman, a spokeswoman for the campaign, again declined to identify supporters during a brief telephone interview on Tuesday.
But on Thursday, a few hours after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that, when fulfilled, will downgrade cannabis’ status under federal law, SAM co-founder and President Kevin Sabet claimed to be behind the campaigns.
“Now, today, for the first time, I can also announce our multi-million-dollar support for two grassroots campaigns to end marijuana sales and commercialization in Maine and Massachusetts,” Sabet said in a video posted to X.
“We still have the power to take back our public health.”
SAM did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Dark money, allegedly deceptive tactics behind anti-legalization effort
With campaign finance forms not yet filed, it’s still not known exactly how much cash SAM is devoting to the causes.
SAM’s backers have long been a contentious subject of speculation in the cannabis advocacy world.
SAM Action, a 501(c)4 affiliate of the organization, recently claimed to have spent in excess of $100,000 on television ads urging Trump not to reschedule cannabis.
Critics point out that Internal Revenue Service reporting rules allow 501(c)4 organizations to hide their donors.
In Massachusetts, campaign workers stand accused of attempting to deceive voters into signing the petitions.
However, such tactics are First Amendment-protected activity, courts have found.
