Hashish reform’s sworn enemy is claiming credit score for the quests to finish adult-use marijuana gross sales in Maine and Massachusetts, the place within the latter state signature-gatherers are allegedly resorting to misleading techniques.
Sensible Approaches to Marijuana, a Washington, D.C., area-based anti-legalization group, is contributing “multi-million-dollar help” to voter initiative campaigns that, if profitable, would finish a mixed $1.8 billion in annual hashish gross sales, its founder and president claimed final week.
State-level adult-use hashish legalization campaigns have had blended success in previous years, with voters rejecting adult-use pushes in Oklahoma in 2023 and Florida final 12 months.
However by no means have state voters or lawmakers had second ideas and rolled again adult-use or medical marijuana legalization.
That will change if voter-initiative campaigns in Massachusetts, the place signature-gathering is underway, and in Maine, the place the state legal professional normal cleared petitions to start, are profitable.
If handed, hashish would stay authorized for adults however medical hashish can be the one authorized gross sales channel.
Annual hashish gross sales exceed $1.6 billion in Massachusetts and are approaching $300 million in Maine, in line with state information.
Who’s behind campaigns to finish adult-use marijuana gross sales in Massachusetts and Maine?
Republican Occasion-affiliated political operatives with the Coalition for a Wholesome Massachusetts have declined to say who’s paying for the expensive signature-gathering marketing campaign – and with marketing campaign finance filings nonetheless not due, that data isn’t publicly accessible.
Wendy Wakeman, a spokeswoman for the marketing campaign, once more declined to determine supporters throughout a quick phone interview on Tuesday.
However on Thursday, a couple of hours after President Donald Trump signed an government order that, when fulfilled, will downgrade hashish’ standing underneath federal regulation, SAM co-founder and President Kevin Sabet claimed to be behind the campaigns.
“Now, right this moment, for the primary time, I can even announce our multi-million-dollar help for 2 grassroots campaigns to finish marijuana gross sales and commercialization in Maine and Massachusetts,” Sabet stated in a video posted to X.
“We nonetheless have the ability to take again our public well being.”
SAM didn’t reply to an e mail searching for remark.
Darkish cash, allegedly misleading techniques behind anti-legalization effort
With marketing campaign finance varieties not but filed, it’s nonetheless not recognized precisely how a lot money SAM is devoting to the causes.
SAM’s backers have lengthy been a contentious topic of hypothesis within the hashish advocacy world.
SAM Motion, a 501(c)4 affiliate of the group, lately claimed to have spent in extra of $100,000 on tv advertisements urging Trump to not reschedule hashish.
Critics level out that Inner Income Service reporting guidelines enable 501(c)4 organizations to cover their donors.
In Massachusetts, marketing campaign staff stand accused of trying to deceive voters into signing the petitions.
Nonetheless, such techniques are First Modification-protected exercise, courts have discovered.