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Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Is Receiving Complaints About Anti-Marijuana Initiative Petitioners’ Tactics

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9 months ago

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The Massachusetts attorney general’s office has confirmed that it is receiving complaints from the public about applicants for a 2026 ballot initiative aimed at rolling back the state’s marijuana legalization law, with a growing number of people alleging that signature gatherers are selling misleading information about the proposal.

A staffer in Massachusetts Attorney General (D) Andrea Campbell’s office told Marijuana Moment on Friday that while they can confirm they have received those complaints, they are not at liberty to discuss whether the matter is actively being investigated.

The office “has received complaints about this matter, but we cannot confirm, deny or comment on any investigation,” they said.

“Every application has a summary of the Attorney General’s bill printed at the top,” the staffer said. “We strongly encourage voters to read the summary of any bill carefully before deciding whether to sign it.”

Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) David O’Brien on Friday openly accused the campaign behind the repeal initiative, the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts, of hiring paid petitioners to use “trickery tactics” to add signatures.

“These out-of-state groups are collecting signatures from state to state and it’s clear that they’re having trouble here in Massachusetts finding people who want to repeal our very effective cannabis laws and kill our successful cannabis industry,” O’Brien said. “This is voter fraud that people should report to their town hall.”

The Marihuana Moment campaign was reached for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

According to the MCBA, reports of deceptive signature-gathering tactics are widespread, with paid petitioners using fake letters on other ballot measures, such as affordable housing and same-day voter registration.

A Reddit post earlier this week appeared to show such tactics, with two petitioners sitting at a table with signs about housing and voter registration, but the poster said they were collecting signatures for a marijuana repeal initiative.

Bait and switch signature request
according tou/yanki2del in the yearmassachusetts

MCBA said in a press release that “other fraudulent messages reported by voters claimed the ballot question would strengthen fentanyl testing requirements for marijuana and expand buffer zones between dispensaries and schools.”

Voters in Massachusetts have sounded the alarm about the state of social media, sharing their experiences with applicants who appear to be misrepresenting marijuana initiatives, in some cases as a way to protect young people from being criminalized for possessing cannabis.

“Just wanted to give a heads up to *anyone* interested in the legal status of cannabis in Massachusetts. While shopping this morning I was presented with a ‘legislation to protect minors from arrest with 2oz of cannabis or less’ signature form,” a post on Reddit last week. he says. “I refused to sign after reading the first line that stated that the current laws on cannabis would be repealed.”

Until then, the Prosecutor’s Office has stressed the importance of reading its summary, which should go at the top of the signature form, before signing any request. Chief Prosecutor cleared the signature collection campaign, with a summary of the petition, last month.

Another Reddit post shared on Wednesday was by a user he said “They joined a couple of interns at the grocery store who were gathering signatures for a ballot initiative to end the sale of recreational marijuana,” and “people misrepresenting what the ballot question really is when asking for signatures.”

Another post describes the user’s experience with a petition that said the initiative was “to make sure kids didn’t go to jail for minor marijuana offenses.”

“The big sign behind it read DARE to keep kids off drugs. When I read it, it was clearly a petition to recriminalize marijuana. Be careful and know what you’re signing!” they he said.

There are numerous responses to the posts, with others telling similar stories and sharing tips on how to report illegal election activity.

“Voters heading to the polls on Election Day next Tuesday, November 4th should expect signature gatherers to be at polling places across the state,” said Meg Sanders, CEO of Canna Provisions. “Know what you’re signing! Take your time and read the application language. If the collector doesn’t say what it says, don’t sign.”

The marijuana repeal campaign, for its part, said as much this month They are “on the way” to get enough signatures to put the initiative on the ballot. They are working to send 100,000 signatures by December 3rd.

When the Attorney General’s Office completed its review of 50 proposed ballot measures for 2026, it certified two versions of the proposed recriminalization campaign.

Both would eliminate the state’s adult commercial use market, maintain patient access under the medical cannabis program and continue to allow legal possession of an ounce of recreational marijuana. “Version A” contains language that would also limit THC content for medical marijuana, while “Version B” omits that policy.

The campaign continues this latest initiative without a cap.

Under the initiative, called the “Restoration of Sensible Marijuana Policy Act,” adults over the age of 21 can still possess up to one ounce of cannabis, of which only five grams can be the product of concentrated marijuana.

Possession of more than one ounce but less than two ounces would effectively be decriminalized, with violators facing a $100 fine. Adults can also continue to gift cannabis to each other without payment.

But provisions of the state’s voter-approved marijuana law that allow commercial cannabis sellers and adults to access regulated products would be repealed under the proposal.

The right of adults to cultivate cannabis at home would also be repealed.

Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’ marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested measures to effectively recriminalize the sale of recreational cannabis. dangerous tax revenues being used to support substance abuse treatment efforts and other public programs.

If enough signatures are validated from the initial submissions, the proposal will go before the legislature, and lawmakers will have until May 6 to pass the law or propose a replacement. If they don’t, organizers will need to collect an additional 12,429 valid voter signatures to put the measure on the ballot.

Whether the cannabis measures make the cut remains to be seen. Voters approved legalization on the 2016 ballot, and sales began two years later. And in the last decade the market has evolved and expanded. In August, Massachusetts officials reported more than $8 billion in adult marijuana sales.

—
It’s Marijuana Time 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.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

Regulators are also working to finalize the rules allow a new type of lounge license to consume cannabisthey hope to finish by October.

Separately, in May the CCC launched an online platform helping people find work, on-the-job training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry.

The House Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy approved the bills in August protect employment for marijuana users and expand the state’s medical cannabis programin part by adding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and opioid use disorder to the list of qualifying conditions.

State legislators have also been pondering imposing stricter restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan allowing individual entities to control a greater number of cannabis establishments.

Also in Massachusetts Legislators working on state budgets butted heads with CCC officialswho said critical technology improvements can’t be made without more money from the legislature.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts lawmakers have just passed a bill establishing a pilot program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two committees have held hearings to discuss additional measures related to psilocybin.

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Fluent to sell New York license and operations

Published

2 weeks ago

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July 30, 2026

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Fluent has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Etain, LLC, the Company’s New York-based operating entity. The purchase agreement was signed on July 22, 2026. The transaction provides for the sale of Etain’s Registered Entity license, certain of the Company’s New York operating assets and related New York leases for cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments.

The Company believes the Transaction advances its strategic objectives and expects the Transaction to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in connection with the Company’s previously announced plan of arrangement for Vireo Growth Inc. (the “Deal”) while providing for an orderly transition of the New York operations to an experienced operator committed to serving patients and consumers.

Completion of the free transaction is subject to closing conditions, including, among other customary conditions, approval of the change in ownership by the New York State Cannabis Control Board and the completion of all conditions to the completion of the Agreement.

For more information:
FLUENT Corp
getfluent.com/










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Marijuana Has ‘Horrific Health Risks’ And No Medical Value, Former Trump Attorney General Claims

Published

2 weeks ago

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July 30, 2026

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A former US attorney general who served in President Donald Trump’s first term says marijuana poses “tremendous health risks,” has no medical value and should not be rescheduled under federal law.

“Marijuana redistricting would create a false impression that it is safe, reduce penalties for illegally selling the drug, and provide a large tax windfall to those who legally supply it,” William Barr wrote in a Wednesday op-ed for The Washington Post, Kevin Sabet, CEO of the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “That would be a disaster.”

The opinion comes as the Trump administration moves forward with cannabis reregulation.

According to an order issued in April by US Attorney General Todd Blanche, Marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license were immediately changed from Schedule I As did marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

an administrator The hearing is looking at the broader rescheduling of marijuanawith The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been tasked with advocating for cannabis reform highlighting the testimony about the medical benefits of marijuana and its relative safety compared to other substances such as alcohol and opioids. It included appearances by a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientist and a doctor from New Hampshire. Medical marijuana provides relief to pain patients and can serve as an alternative to opioids.

But Sabet and Barr, who served as Trump’s attorney general from 2019-2020, argued that “the evidence presented at the hearing did not support the rescheduling of marijuana” and instead “confirmed what decades of data have shown: raw marijuana has no scientifically established medical value and is highly susceptible to abuse.”

After the parties to the hearing have filed termination rights, the DEA administrative law judge overseeing the proceedings will make a recommendation regarding rescheduling, and the agency administrator will make a final decision.

DEA Administrator Terrance Cole only organizations and individuals opposed to marijuana reform have been invited to the hearing as a designated participant – telling supporters that they do not meet the definition of “interested person” to participate because they have not been “affected or prejudiced by any rule or proposed rule that may be issued.”

—
It’s Marijuana Time 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.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

The former attorney general’s new opinion says “the stakes couldn’t be higher”, arguing that “marijuana today is more dangerous than ever” and that it is “addictive”, throwing out a list of alleged harm to mental and physical health.

“These unhealthy effects are a predictable result of a powerful and addictive drug being normalized, commercialized and marketed as a medicine,” Barr and Sabet say. “It would be one thing if marijuana had medical value. But there is no credible evidence that marijuana is an effective treatment for any medical condition, despite the millions of dollars spent trying to prove otherwise.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252 analysis in 2023 that concluded that marijuana had accepted medical value and should be rescheduled.

The new opposition piece also says that “rescheduling would unlock enormous revenue for the corporate marijuana industry by bringing it into a category that has not been covered by a longstanding reduction in federal drug tax deductions,” referring to a law known as 280E, which repeals Sections I and II.

“This, in turn, would allow the industry to spend even more on advertising and marketing to young people,” Barr and Sabet. he wroteArguing that “those who would lose this dragon in society are laying the foundations for another Big Tobacco”.

The Sabet organization, SAM, is one of several parties Challenging the Marijuana Redistricting Process which have been upheld by a federal Court of Appeals. those separate parts State attorneys general have filed lawsuits against cannabis reform, Opponents of marijuana legalization and a a cannabis-based biopharmaceutical corporation.

SAM’s lawsuit was signed by attorneys at Torridon Law PLLC, where Barr is a partner.

The team announced in January that it was Hiring Barr’s firm to fight cannabis rescheduling After Trump signed an executive order directing officials to quickly complete the process.

During the first Trump administration, Barr was accused by a Justice Department official Directing improper anti-company investigations into multiple cannabis company mergers– Accounting for almost a third of the division’s cases in 2019.

Several Democratic members of Congress introduced a resolution calling for an investigation into Barr’s possible impeachment, saying “abused the power of his office” to improperly investigate marijuana businesses while engaging in other allegedly illegal conduct.

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How much red light does cannabis really need?

Published

3 weeks ago

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July 26, 2026

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When growers pull out two LED fixtures side by side, the first number they usually discuss is percent red. This is an easy specification to fix. They are efficient at producing red photons and incredibly efficient at photosynthesis, and cannabis eats away at the flower. So more red must be better, right?

Not so simple. Red is an input to a spectrum, and the spectrum is an input to a room. There is no single spectrum that wins everywhere. An indoor room pushes hard, a greenhouse that soaks up sunlight, a temperamental cultivar, and aggressive yields call for something different. Knowing what each light strip actually does allows you to choose a tool that fits your grow instead of one that just has a big number on the sales page.

© JumpLights

Blue: structure
Blue (approximately 400-500 nm) gives shape to the plant. It maintains dense growth, strong stems, tight internodes and allows it to develop as desired. It also encourages stomatal opening, so the plant manages water and gas exchange better. Get blue and you’ve built a plant that can carry heavy flowers with no problem.

Green: access
Green was eliminated as the wavelength is “reflected” by plants. It turns out that it does a real job. Blue and red are absorbed above; the green goes deep into the fat and reaches the leaves that are never touched by the above photons. In a compact room, it’s the difference between plants photosynthesising from the top down and those that work only from the top. Green won’t replace your red or blue, but it does carry usable light where they can’t reach.

Red: engine
Red is the horse of the flower. It absorbs as efficiently as anything in the spectrum, and is responsible for most of the biomass you’re after. Redder generally means faster flower development, more weight and better efficiency per watt.

But red has a ceiling, and it’s tied to what you run. Push PPFD upwards with a heavy red spectrum and some cultivars begin to whiten at the top: the flower should be dense with pale, washed tips. Genetics, intensity, barrel temperature and your general environment all feed into it. If you’re using aggressive light levels, a lower red spectrum will buy you room before that becomes a problem, leaving you almost no photosynthetic punch to get it.

Far Red: More than Emerson
Far-red (700-750 nm) appears in more devices every year. It contributes little to photosynthesis on its own, but it moves plant morphology and works with red through the Emerson Enhancement Effect. Used properly, it helps to deepen the light, encourage uniformity of the canopy and encourage the response of the bloom. The key word is small. A touch of far red rounds out a spectrum; he’s not there to make a show.

Matching the red percentage with the room
Cannabis addresses the entire spectrum, not a line on a spec sheet. Reds cause flowers, but blues, greens and crimsons give the plant something it needs. Where you land in red refers to how you grow.

A lower red spectrum (30-40%) captures more blue and green, gives you better morphology, reduces the risk of photobleaching, and holds up when you’re running extreme PPFD. Moderate spectrum (40-55%) is the sweet spot in commercial greenhouses: strong photosynthetic efficiency, strong flowering, balanced growth. A high-red spectrum (70%+) makes the most sense in a greenhouse, where the sun is already giving you lots of blue and green and your supplemental light can cast effective red to fill the gap.

Where does the ETS MAX series fit in?
This is the thinking behind the JumpLights ETS MAX series. Instead of forcing a spectrum into each room, it rarely comes up because a greenhouse and a high PPFD indoor flower room are not the same problem.

  • ETS MAX 4C41% red: for indoor rooms operating at very high intensity, where photobleaching is a real risk. The wider, red bottom balance allows you to push the tops without overcooking them
  • ETS MAX 4A48% red: balanced internal spectrum that maintains high output while controlling bleaching.
  • ETS MAX 5B57% Red: A high-performance indoor option. Moderate red, marked with efficiency and flower at the same time, up to 3,450 μmol/s, with efficiency that holds the spectrum.
  • ETS MAX 7A76% red: built for the greenhouse. The sun already supplies blue and green, so this leans heavily on the complementary red, up to 3,900 μmol/s in the infrastructure most greenhouses already have in place.

Bottom line
Choosing an activity is not a competition for the highest red number. The winning spectrum is the one that matches your environment, your intensity, your genetics, and what you’re trying to produce. Combine spectrum, intensity, environmental control, light distribution and genetics, and you’ve got a lighting strategy. Keep a spec isolated and all you’ve got is a bright room.

The ETS MAX line was created around this idea: choose the spectrum of the room you actually have, indoor or greenhouse, and let the device work with your grow rather than against it.

For more information:
JumpLights
www.jumplights.com

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