The short version: Massachusetts voters said no to Question 8, the 2026 ballot measure that would have ended licensed adult-use marijuana sales and home growing. The Associated Press called the race late on election night, and the No side leads by about three to one in unofficial results. Nothing changes for adults 21 and older: stores stay open and the current rules still apply.

Published November 5, 2026. Results are unofficial until certified.

What happened on November 3

Question 8 lost by a wide margin. As of 5:27 p.m. Eastern on November 5, Associated Press results published by the Boston Globe showed 1,960,746 votes against the measure (about 75.6%) and 633,874 votes for it (about 24.4%), with roughly 98% of the expected vote counted. These are unofficial results. The AP declared the No side the winner just before midnight on election night.

For comparison, Massachusetts voters legalized adult-use marijuana in 2016 with Question 4, which passed with a much slimmer majority. A decade later, the vote to keep legal sales was far more lopsided. WBUR noted that if the repeal had passed, Massachusetts would have become the first state to undo legal recreational sales.

What Question 8 would have done

Question 8 targeted the parts of the 2016 law that created the legal adult-use market. According to the Boston Globe, adult-use stores would have had to close by early 2028 or switch to serving medical patients only. The measure would also have removed the right to grow cannabis at home and tightened possession limits.

It would not have touched everything. Medical marijuana would have stayed legal, and adults could still have possessed a small amount without criminal penalties. Reports differed on the exact amount, so check the official ballot text if you want the details.

What changes now (spoiler: nothing)

Because the measure failed, the law stays exactly as it was. Here is where things stand, according to the Cannabis Control Commission:

• Buying: Adults 21 and older with a valid government-issued photo ID can still shop at licensed adult-use stores. That includes visitors from other states.
• Possession: You can carry up to 2 ounces in public and keep up to 10 ounces at home. Anything over 2 ounces at home must be locked up.
• Home grow: Adults can grow up to 6 plants at home, with a cap of 12 per household with two or more adults. New to growing? Start with our beginner’s guide to marijuana cultivation.
• Public use and driving: Using cannabis in public is still not allowed, and driving while impaired is still a crime.

For the full rundown on limits, penalties and travel rules, see our Massachusetts marijuana law guide.

Who was for it and who was against it

The Yes campaign was run by the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts. The Boston Globe reported that it raised about $3.8 million, nearly all of it from SAM Action, a Virginia-based group affiliated with the national anti-legalization organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Supporters pointed to concerns about impaired driving and the mental health effects of high-potency THC, especially for young people.

The No side was led by the Stop the Repeal campaign, backed largely by cannabis businesses. WBUR reported that the Retailers Association of Massachusetts also made major contributions. The Globe put the opposition’s cash spending at about $2.8 million. Gov. Maura Healey and U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey all said they would vote no. So did more than 50 state lawmakers, according to Marijuana Moment.

What’s next

Local clerks are still counting, and the totals will shift a little before the state certifies the results. WBUR reported that Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin’s office expects certification to happen in early December, likely on the first Wednesday of the month.

Meanwhile, regulators are moving on. In a statement reported by the Globe, Cannabis Control Commission Chair Chris Harding said the agency is working on a testing overhaul, a review of license caps and the rollout of social consumption licenses for cannabis cafés. Haverhill voters also approved a local question on November 3 to allow on-site consumption in the city, the Globe reported, citing local station WHAV.

Want to see how Massachusetts compares with other states? Visit our state-by-state marijuana law hub.

Sources

• The Boston Globe: 2026 Massachusetts ballot Question 8 results (AP data)
• The Boston Globe: Marijuana consumers, workers high on victory after repeal of recreational weed sales fails in a rout
• WBUR: Here are the latest results on all 9 of Massachusetts’ ballot questions
• WBUR: Mass. voters opt to keep recreational marijuana legal
• Marijuana Moment: Massachusetts Voters Decide To Keep Marijuana Sales Legal, Rejecting Ballot Measure
• NORML: Massachusetts Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Ballot Proposal Seeking To Repeal Marijuana Legalization
• Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission: Know the Laws