So, this is absolutely crazy, guys, because it feels like it’s not being reported on anywhere by the lamestream media. There’s a massive push right now to recriminalize the gurb and ban all home grows, even though lawmakers already legalized it. The Massachusetts Attorney General certified and approved a ballot measure to completely destroy the cannabis market, even for home growers. And less than a decade after legalization, we got to ask ourselves, how did this even happen? Good morning and welcome to Cultivate where more than a thousand people came through here yesterday for day one marijuana purchases. The most popular item, a strain called chocolate OG. Now, if you’re thinking that looks a lot stronger than the stuff I remember, you’re probably right. And sales are booming. 3 2 1 The first two licensed pot shops in Massachusetts opened on Tuesday with high excitement. Legal and long lines. Thousands waited as much as 5 hours. I’m 64 years old and I used to have to run from the cops when I bought pot in the in the past, so I figured I wanted to do it legally for the first time. We have these meats available inside Cultivate. Customers were presented with a daily menu selection with varieties including Tropicana cookies and purple punch. But it’s not cheap. 1 oz of raw bud at Cultivate cost $420. Got a couple good things. Way too many edibles. I am going home and I am going to be enjoying them with my grandmother. It’s like your coffee in the morning. It’s like your coffee in the morning and not like your wine at night. It, you know, it can be both. So, that clip was from about 6 years ago when mash first legalized and thousands were waiting in line to finally get a chance to purchase legal herb. But now, less than a decade later, it seems that they’re trying to roll back some of those initiatives. And according to officials, it’s on track to make the 2026 ballot. This is absolutely mind-blowing and crazy news, guys. And what’s even crazier is that mainstream media is not reporting on this issue at all. In fact, I found very limited sources actually reporting on this topic. Over in Massachusetts, it looks like they’re moving backwards. Uh they have until December 3rd to get about 75,000 signatures on a petition to reverse recreational marijuana in the state. Uh they’re fighting. They said that it has uh definitely ruined some of their communities. More kids have access to it. Uh more pet uh accidental findings. Uh bunch of stuff. But obviously the people in the state that are supporting it are saying this is nonsense. So there’s another person going up against it, another uh thing to go against her petition saying don’t sign this one. Um and they’re saying that the state has benefited from over $500 million in tax revenue since the start of it back in 2016. Uh so it seems like there’s some shaky things going on over there. Uh if you’re interested in it, go read down below. So, like I said, there not a lot of outlets reporting on it, and shout out to Green Rush Nation. And even that explanation was pretty convoluted and just not as clear as it can be. And what we’re seeing is that a lot of folks who are actually being asked to sign these petitions, they’re doing the exact same thing. They’re trying to purposefully confuse them. So, what we’re going to do today is break down everything for you guys. And especially if you’re over in Mass, why this is such a big thing. This video is brought to you by Vivoson, the brand trusted by home growers across the world. Whether you need tents, lights, carbon filters, or complete grow kits, Vivo Sun has you covered with gear that’s reliable and affordable and built to help your plants thrive. I’ve been using their products myself, and they make it easy to grow smarter, not harder. So, if you want to upgrade your grow setup, check out Vivoson. They are the home growers choice for everything green. Use code icon THC to get a discount on all Vivo Sunare, including the new smart lights, grow camera, and the under canopy lights. Now, that said, there are a couple outlets which reported on this topic, such as MJ Biz Daily, and also Bknan. But what we’re going to do is use this article as our starting point to break things down. And as you guys can see, the campaign is on track to collect enough signatures to put the initiative on the 2026 ballot. Now, this recriminalization proposal was certified by the attorney general, Joy Campbell, over in Massachusetts, and that allows them to gather the signatures. And they need to gather about 75,000 signatures, but they’re aiming for a 100,000. Now, the reason that they’re aiming to get even more signatures than the 75,000 that they actually need is because they’re two different vetting processes that the signature sheets, the petitions, those things go through. So, it’s important to have that cushion for those that are potentially invalidated. And that’s something we’ve seen over in Florida, but on the flip side, because down there, they’re trying to get legalization on the ballot for 2026. But turns out tons of those signatures ended up being invalidated. Now, despite the fact that the legal industry over in Massachusetts is booming, they generated over $15 million according to a May 2025 report by the state’s Department of Revenue. Now, even though the state is making tons of tax revenue off the good herb, there are people who are not happy that it’s been legalized. They would prefer for it to be recriminalized. And some of those folks say things like more people are feeling the impact that the growth of marijuana use has had on the quality of life, the increase in DUI stops, the increase in child poisonings and in pet poisonings. There’s a group that thinks that legalization happened too fast and it’s just not working well for mass. Now, this is all pretty funny because like I said, I’m not hearing a lot of reporting on it. I’m not hearing mainstream media talk about it. But when they were proposing legalization about 8 years ago, a lot of folks actually protested at the capital in favor of it. Let me remind you guys, check it out. Good morning, Randy and Antoanet. Protesters are expected here at the state house later this morning just as that debate over the voterapproved law gets underway. Now, lawmakers backing the House bill say it strengthens the regulatory structure, but opponents say that it will discourage people from buying the drug legally. Proposed changes include steep taxes on recreational marijuana when pot shops begin opening next year. The tax would more than double to 28% instead of the voter approved 12%. The bill also gives more control to local officials to ban or limit marijuana shops in their communities. Now, this does not make any changes as to how much somebody can legally possess or how many plants they’re allowed to have. Live in Boston, Katie Thompson, WCVB News Center 5. So, what’s pretty interesting to me, guys, is back then there were people ready to protest. But now they’re actually trying to eliminate home growers. They’re also trying to eliminate the recreational market, all sales, and adjust some of those limits, also impose fines and other sorts of penalties. And what we’re going to do is break down how these changes are going to be rolled out if it does happen. But before we do, just a quick reminder, guys, if you’re getting value from this video, please do like, share, and subscribe to the channel. And if you want to support us further, join the ICAN VIP bean club or just buy us a cup of coffee. And if you happen to be a home gardener, try the ICAN organics. Use the code legal. It works on the bundle and the beans. You look, it’s it’s a concern. I’m I’m really hoping that people are a little patient. Higher potency, dangerous drivers. It’s the reason health professionals are urging to vote no on four. Kevin could well be busted if he tries that. Yeah. Well, first of all, Kevin’s not going to get into the store if he’s underage. Okay. Well, Kevin sure didn’t look 21 to me, but that whole debate is long over, and we’re about to find out if the drawbacks opponents of Legal Pot warned about so dramatically in that ad are outweighed by the benefits of luring an underground market above ground, Liam. And we might have to wait a little longer for the results of that, John. And that right there, guys, is a massive question that we’re going to have to see the answer to play out. But like I promised you guys, let’s first off dig into exactly what some of these changes will mean for the industry down in Mass. And there are a few big ones and there are a couple that are not mentioned on this particular list. Now, first off, what you guys need to understand is that there two versions of these proposals. Both of them are pretty similar. One of them has potency caps when it comes to THC. The other one doesn’t. But other than that, they’re pretty much identical. And like I said, both of them will decimate the industry. They’ll end adult use sales. All licensed recreational dispensaries will cease selling and they will tradition to medical only. Existing recreational dispose will be permitted to convert to medical only operations. They’ll also maintain decriminalization. But again, there’s a catch with this one, guys. Possession of up to 1 ounce will remain decriminalized, though additional penalties will be added for possession for between 1 to 2 ounces. Anything over that and you’re probably going to be screwed. One of those versions also potentially adds potency limits. And like I said guys, they like to try to make this really confusing to trick lots of folks. And the first way they try to do that is by titling it an act to restore sensible marijuana policy. And they’ll say things like, “Oh, adults 21 and over will still be able to possess up to an ounce or 5 g of concentrate.” They may also throw in other noble and fancy sounding things like this one right here. Protect personal rights. The measure will protect access to housing, employment, and student aid for people who possess less than 2 ounces of the gurb. But what they don’t tell you is that it’ll also cut home grows. A lot of home gardeners will be negatively affected. And some of those folks going out and getting low signatures are also doing underhanded stuff like this which was shared by the talking joints memo where they said, and I quote, “A friend of his was recently approached by a person allegedly collecting signatures for the campaign, who had significantly mischaracterized the proposal by suggesting it would stop criminalizing weed once and for all, which is obviously a massive lie. So, it’s all mind-blowing and shady stuff, but wait, there’s more. Because it goes on to say that today, a friend of mine was fooled into signing the petition to get onto the measure to end adult use cannabis in mass put on the ballot next year. They’re livid and they tell me the signature gatherers sold it as a measure to stop criminalizing the good herb once and for all. I’m not surprised. The proposal is called an act to restore sensible marijuana policy. Like, what the f does that mean? How the hell did the Secretary of State allow this to proceed? Yet, here we are. And that’s exactly what I’ve been saying throughout this entire video. They try to make things sound really noble. These virtue signaling things really sound great, but the truth is it’s not what it’s all chalked up to be. A lot of times they’re also hidden things that people just don’t tell you. And Chris Ferrone, the editor at Talking Joints memo, actually goes on to say, “Here’s what I need from you. As much evidence as possible that they are cheating. I don’t want you to antagonize or lead anyone on. Just hear them out. Are they saying that their proposals will close pot shops? So, what are they saying? Also, do not violate the two-party consent law. Though they’re gray areas in public, you’ll have to tell someone you’re taping them in mass. So, if they’re willing to pitch to you knowing that they’re being recorded, word. Otherwise, please just report back to me. Video tomorrow article soon. So, guys, this is absolutely crazy. In a state which doesn’t even require voter ID, but they do require consent for you to tape someone out in public, some of these folks are straight up being misleading when it comes to gathering these signatures. They’re saying, “Let’s finally end criminalization once and for all.” But in truth, they’re actually trying to recriminalize the good herb, ban all homegrows, and close down all the shops. Make it make sense. People think that this has actually gone through some kind of safety and efficacy that you even know what it is. It hasn’t. Kevin Seet is a former White House drug policy adviser and president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana. You’re relying on a state that is being heavily influenced by the marijuana industry themselves to basically tell you that your product is safe. Colorado has seen hundreds of thousands of individual products recalled because of additives and other kinds of bacteria and molds that are in these marijuana products. So, it’s really buyer beware. So, those are some of the typical fearmongering talking points that you’ll hear when it comes to legalization. A lot of the prohibitionists push those talking points like it’s a dirty platter filled with some sort of old food. And the truth is, we’re fed up of it. We don’t want to eat it anymore because a lot of it is just propaganda. But what I found interesting is that instead of taking away some of the talking points from these prohibitionists, like some of these stuff getting under the hands of kids, pet poisonings, all that stuff, rather than do that, they pass other laws that a lot of folks really may not have necessarily asked for or certain folks may not necessarily benefit from. outside of the state house where the house unanimously passed a bill this week to change and update cannabis laws in Massachusetts. Now, those pushing for it say it would modernize the state’s priorities and policies to be more in line with surrounding states and keep some businesses from closing. We’d love it to become law next week, but I don’t know if that’s realistic. The bill, called an act modernizing the Commonwealth’s cannabis laws, would make it so companies can grow from three to six stores over a three-year period. Something Brandon Pollock, the CEO of Theory Wellness, would like to see happen. This would allow a lot of growth for our team and some opportunities for some new business. Those pushing for the bill to become law, say it will help companies make more money and also bring more investors into the state. I know a lot of entrepreneurs who want to sell, but I can’t I can’t buy them because we are at our limit of stores. And then companies like Theory want to grow, but we can’t grow cuz we’re at our limit of stores. So, instances like that where lawmakers are making it easier for some of these companies to set up multiple shops. How is that actually benefiting the market, the industry? We’ve seen instances where oversaturation actually causes a massive decline. A lot of these folks have companies set up. they set up another company, they want to make more money. What about the other folks who don’t even have a company set up who would love to try to get in in the industry? And that’s something that they have focused on in the past as well. But again, a lot of the focus may have been misdirected and too much emphasis may have been placed on things like social equity programs. Have a look. Marijuana equity, it was a main goal that the legalization effort here in Massachusetts was built upon. The Cannabis Control Commission even set up a social equity program specifically to help people directly affected by the war on drugs and marijuana prohibition to get in on the legalized industry. But as we’ve been talking about every few months for six years now, we are still not there. Last week, state lawmakers started negotiations on a bill aimed at diverting a portion of the state’s marijuana tax revenue to equity applicants, as well as making it easier for people with marijuana charges to wipe them from their record. Something that several other states have already done, by the way. So, when it comes to legalization, there are certain things that I do think are important. expuning past records, things like that. Those are definitely great points, but factoring in too much things like social equity can be inherently discriminatory and also open up the door for backdoor reparations or just backdoor reparation type instances. And the truth is, when it comes to legalization, what we need is full accountability. We need everyone to see that everything is being done above board. When things are being shady and being done behind closed doors, a lot of people actually build up a lot of mistrust in the entire process and what’s really happening. And what we’ve seen over in Mass is instead of putting in place some of these tightened restrictions to actually appeal to some of these prohibitionists, what they’ve done is try to include programs that really focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Check it out. Well, legalizing recreational marijuana was approved through a ballot initiative in 2016, but since then, it remains unfinished business. 22 News state house reporter Ellen Fleming has more information about the latest marijuana bill right here in Massachusetts. On Wednesday, the House passed an almost unanimous vote to improve the cannabis industry here in Massachusetts. In a 153 to2 vote, the House bill aims to promote diversity, increase oversight on host community agreements, and establish groundwork for cannabis cafes. Massachusetts was the first in the nation to mandate equity and inclusion in the state’s cannabis industry. However, less than 6% of businesses in the Commonwealth are connected to the Social Equity Program established by the Cannabis Control Commission. The bill would direct 20% of money in the Marijuana Regulation Fund to go to providing grants and loans to those most affected by past marijuana laws. as those host agreements come up and we have minority um entrepreneurs that are out there that are looking to establish businesses within these communities, we want to establish a framework that can help them um get established and particularly in places like Springfield, Chap and Holio. Social consumption sites or cannabis cafes were approved over two years ago, but they were not able to move forward due to statute and state law. The House bill provides language that will now allow cities and towns to vote to allow cannabis cafes to join their communities. The Cannabis Control Commission recently announced that adult use marijuana establishments have surpassed $3 billion in gross sales since 2018. The bill now moves back to the Senate for further consideration. So, as you guys can see, a lot of these programs sound fantastic. Sound like they aim to help a lot of people. Really help folks who’ve been criminalized in the past. equity and social justice warriors. But the truth is a lot of times the folks don’t get the benefits pockets online. And if we use the discussion about the cafes that you guys just heard in that previous clip, which was from 3 years ago, rolling it up to 2025, as of September 22nd, 2025, cafes are still only being described as close to reality. So, all that said, guys, let me know what you guys think about everything that we discussed in today’s video. Do you guys think that those ballot measures will make it onto the ballot and will pass? And if it does, do you think it’s a good thing? They’re literally taking steps backward, but some folks may think it’s taking steps forward. Drop your thoughts in the comments down below. Now, in our next video, as we enter another week of the federal government shutdown, there’s a lot happening in the cannabis community. So, if you haven’t seen that video, check it out. It’s coming up right now.
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