The Worcester City Council voted unanimously tonight to approve a resolution opposing Massachusetts Question 8, the November ballot initiative that would eliminate the state’s legal recreational marijuana retail market. The resolution passed 6 to 0, formally placing Massachusetts’ second-largest city on record against the proposed repeal.
Introduced by Mayor Joseph Petty, the resolution urges Worcester residents and voters throughout Massachusetts to reject Question 8 on November 3. The council’s action expresses support for maintaining the state’s regulated marijuana industry, citing concerns about public safety, employment, local businesses and municipal tax revenue.
The resolution highlights the marijuana industry’s contribution to Massachusetts’ economy, including more than $1.6 billion in annual sales and thousands of jobs across retail, cultivation, manufacturing, transportation and other sectors.
Council members also expressed concern that eliminating legal recreational sales could push consumers toward unregulated sellers operating without mandatory product testing, age verification or municipal oversight. The resolution emphasizes that opposing Question 8 does not constitute an endorsement of marijuana consumption, but instead reflects support for maintaining a regulated marketplace.
Question 8 would repeal the laws governing recreational marijuana sales while preserving the state’s medical marijuana program. Adults 21 and older would remain legally allowed to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, while possession of more than one ounce but no more than two ounces would carry a $100 civil penalty. If approved, the changes would take effect January 1, 2028.
The council’s unanimous vote comes exactly two weeks before the November 3 election.
