[PRESS RELEASE] – BOSTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – The No on 8: Stop the Repeal Campaign announced the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Massachusetts State Council, adding the voice of thousands of working people to the growing coalition of public health officials, law enforcement, small business owners and advocates fighting to protect the commonwealth’s legal cannabis law.
Repealing highly-regulated recreational marijuana would have serious economic and public safety impacts across our state. Today’s endorsement underscores the importance of preserving the jobs, economic opportunities and public policy gains created since Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved legal marijuana in 2016.
“Since legalization, the marijuana industry has brought in close to $2 billion in state and local revenue, supporting thousands of jobs and generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually in support of schools, public health, community investments and public safety,” said Stop the Repeal Chairperson Ryan Dominguez. “We are grateful to have the support of the SEIU State Council in helping us to defeat this damaging ballot question and to make sure we stop this ill-advised repeal. Massachusetts voters made their voices clear when they chose to legalize marijuana a decade ago, and we cannot allow out-of-state groups to come into the commonwealth and repeal this law.”
In the decade since voters made a clear choice to replace restrictive policies with a safe, regulated cannabis market, Massachusetts has built a system that prioritizes public health, consumer safety, responsible regulation and equitable opportunities.
“With more than 400 adult-use marijuana retail locations across Massachusetts, this campaign is about protecting our communities, supporting local businesses, protecting worker rights and not turning away economic opportunity,” SEIU Massachusetts State Council and Local 509 President Dave Foley said. “The fight to protect legal marijuana is about protecting progress. We look forward to working with allies across the state to educate voters about the dangers of returning to an underground market where there are fewer workplace protections, less oversight and no opportunities to organize.”
The SEIU Massachusetts State Council will join the No on 8 campaign on Sept. 20 and 21 to knock on doors and help to tell voters about the importance of stopping this repeal effort.
The SEIU Massachusetts State Council joins a broad and growing coalition of businesses, advocates, community leaders and voters committed to defeating repeal efforts. You can learn more about efforts to keep regulated recreational marijuana legal in Massachusetts here.
