Cannabis News

Maine Officials Approve 2026 Ballot Initiative To Largely Repeal Marijuana Legalization Law For Signature Collection

Published

21 minutes ago

December 9, 2025

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Maine officials have given permission to prohibition activists to begin gathering signatures for a proposal A ballot initiative that would roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law. The measure, if passed, would also overhaul the regulatory structure of the medical cannabis program by establishing product testing requirements.

The proposal — called the “Cannabis Legalization Act and Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act” — is a revamped version of a marijuana initiative introduced in September, sponsored by a Republican state senator and a former top staffer for then-Gov. Paul LePage (R), staunch prohibitionist.

The latest proposal, a petition approved by the Secretary of State on Monday, would remove and amend multiple sections of the current state statute, which voters approved in 2016 to effectively repeal the legalization of recreational marijuana sales.

Adults over the age of 21 would remain legal to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis under the proposal, but a section of the law allowing home cultivation would be repealed. The sale and home cultivation of medical marijuana would be legal.

Madison Carey, who was listed as a lead petitioner in the original version of the repeal initiative and remains involved in the current campaign, told Marihuana Momenti on Tuesday that “there needs to be regulation of marijuana,” arguing that her own experience recovering from opioid misuse disorder speaks to the inadequacy of the current law.

“My hope is to raise awareness of the reality of the potential dangers of not having regulation,” he said. “I think people are fed up with the constant use — the constant (retail businesses) coming up where people can legally buy marijuana.”

Of course, repealing the voter-approved law that established the adult-licensed sales system would eliminate the current regulatory infrastructure in place, which reform advocates say helps mitigate public health and safety risks associated with the illegal market.

Rep. David Boyer (R), who led the fight to get a cannabis legalization initiative on Maine’s ballot in 2016 when he was a staff member at the Marihuana Policy Project, said voters should refuse to sign petitions for the new initiative.

“Don’t stop Maine’s progress, don’t stop signing this unfair repeal initiative,” he told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday. “Repealing the legalization of cannabis would shut down an industry larger than lobsters, potatoes and blueberries combined, costing our state jobs, revenue and economic growth.”

According to the new measure, the director of the Office of Cannabis Policy will “advance policies that promote the health and welfare of the people of the state and protect their health and safety, emphasizing the health and welfare of minors as a priority consideration in the performance of all duties.”

They should also “ensure that eligible patients maintain access to high-quality, effective, and affordable medical cannabis under this Act.”

Under the proposal, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services would create a testing program for cannabis products that would require dispensaries and dispensaries to send those products to a licensed facility for safety evaluation before dispensing them to qualified patients.

The testing facility “should ensure that cannabis or cannabis products do not exceed acceptable levels of contamination for any contaminants that are harmful to health and require testing and ensure proper labeling.”

“The department shall adopt rules establishing a testing program under this section, rules identifying the types of pollutants harmful to health, which must be tested for cannabis and cannabis products under this chapter, and rules regarding the maximum level of contamination for each pollutant,” the vote said. the initiative the text says

Additionally, regulators should administer a system to track cannabis plants from seed to the point of retail sale or disposal. That system “should be able to track cannabis plants in groups during the cultivation phase and when passing from the cultivation phase to another registrar”.

Entrepreneurs must submit at least 67,682 valid voter signatures by February 2, 2026 to be eligible for next year’s ballot. If approved by voters, the initiative would take effect on January 1, 2028.

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It’s Marijuana Moment tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

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Maine lawmakers passed a bill in June legalize possession of an ounce of psilocybin Adults over 21 years of age.

After a different effort in the state last year legalize psilocybin and allow adults to access the psychedelic in state-licensed facilities. But lawmakers watered down that bill—instead, they changed it to create a committee to study further reforms—and in the end it was not approved.

Meanwhile, Maine legislators in February A top marijuana official voted to investigate possible conflicts of interest.

And last year, the law that allowed people came into force now apply for legal marijuana crime records to be sealed.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Cannabis News

US (FL): Cannabis company countersues competitor for AI-fabricated extortion

Published

10 minutes ago

December 9, 2025

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Leafwell Inc. filed a federal lawsuit against medical marijuana company My Florida Green, alleging that its competitor used artificial intelligence to make legal claims as part of an extortion scheme designed to harm Leafwell’s business. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court…

Cannabis News

By concentrating our portfolio, we create room for innovation and growth

Published

1 day ago

December 8, 2025

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Viscon transfers the range fork product portfolio to Flier

Viscon Plant Technology will transfer its spacer fork product portfolio (including spacer forks and fixed forks) to Flier Systems effective January 1, 2026.

“The furrows are a proven solution for spacing within the sector. By transferring this portfolio to Flier Systems, the technology will remain available to both existing and new customers, with continued quality and support. Flier Systems will take over development, sales and technical service, while Viscon Plant Technology focuses on its core activities,” the team says.

“The transfer of the fields is a deliberate strategic step to strengthen our focus on automation solutions for plant growers and young breeders. In addition to concentrating our portfolio on technologies such as tissue culture automation, phenotypic sorting and somatic embryogenesis automation, we create room for further innovation and growth. We are pleased to have found a reliable and dedicated partner in Flier Systems,” said Nigela, who will continue the same product portfolio. Viscon Plant Technology.

“Acquiring spacer forks fits perfectly into our strategy to automate the entire production process for professional plant growers. Having just introduced the upgraded SPH transplanter/sorter, we have already taken an important step in the automation of potted plants. Acquiring spacer forks is a logical addition as it allows us to offer a complete and integrated package. Viscon,” said Ad Kranendonk, Flier Systems.

Cannabis News

Michigan Judge Allows Marijuana Tax Increase To Take Effect Despite Industry Lawsuit

Published

1 day ago

December 8, 2025

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Cannabis industry groups argued that the tax violates the state Constitution by amending a voter-approved legalization law without following due process.

By: Ben Solis, Michigan Advance

A group of cannabis industry advocates failed to convince a Michigan Court of Claims judge that it would suffer irreparable harm. A new 24 percent wholesale tax on marijuana went into effect To fund future road repairs in the state.

In an opinion issued Monday, Court of Claims Judge Sima Patel said Holistic Research Group Inc./Michigan Cannabis Industry v. That the Michigan Department of Finance was denying plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction.

The joint lawsuits said the new tax was approved in October as part of a comprehensive budget deal for 2025-26. Raising new revenue for road repair and reconstruction Until 2030, because it was against the Constitution violated the title-object clause of the state Constitution.

Patel said Monday, after hearing oral arguments on the case in November, that the industry’s advocates had failed to argue that there was a genuine constitutional issue, nor had the group briefly shown that the Michigan Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which legalized the use and sale of cannabis in Michigan, was the only legal mechanism for taxing the flower.

“(The road funding act) is consistent (with the marijuana tax law). Plaintiffs say the phrase ‘all other taxes’ … refers only to generally applicable taxes, like the 6 percent sales tax imposed on all retail sales,” he wrote. “If that were true, however, the initiative could have simply said that. Instead, the initiative clearly stated that the 10 percent retail excise tax was in addition to ‘all other taxes.’

Patel also pointed out that the Legislature did not directly change any of the existing taxes in the regulatory act, nor replace them with the new tax in the road funding legislation; rather, the Legislature established a new separate tax, which is allowed under the governing law.

“The two statutes can be read together,” Patel wrote.

So the claim about the mechanism by which a new tax could be imposed was dismissed, Patel wrote.

Patel, however, allowed the case to go forward to determine whether the tax interferes with the intent of the voter-initiated law that allowed the consumption, regulation and sale of marijuana. Patel said there remained a genuine issue in the matter, which required further consideration by the court.

“The court must consider the intentions of the (tax act) drafters and the effect of the new wholesale excise tax on the (tax law’s) objectives,” Patel wrote. “The court will not be able to resolve these questions of fact at the summary disposition stage. Discovery will be necessary to develop the evidence necessary to support the parties’ positions.”

This story was first published by the Michigan Advance.

Photo elements courtesy of the user rawpixel and Philip Steffan.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.