For the majority of Arizona voters who approved Proposition 207 in 2020, the debate over legalizing adult-use cannabis seemed settled. The Smart and Safe Act passed with 60% of the vote, launching a regulated industry that has since generated billions in sales and hundreds of millions in tax revenue for the state. Dispensaries opened, record expungements began, and the sky did not fall.
However, a new effort is underway to undo this progress. A political committee known as American Encore has filed paperwork for a 2026 ballot initiative that aims to repeal the commercial sale of adult-use marijuana in Arizona. This isn’t an isolated incident, either. Similar movements are gaining traction in states like Maine and Massachusetts, signaling a coordinated push to reverse the tide of legalization across the country.
This potential rollback threatens to dismantle a thriving economic engine, strip away consumer safety protections, and override the explicit will of the voters. Knowing the specifics of this initiative—and the pattern emerging in other legal states—is important for anyone who values safe, regulated access to cannabis.
The Threat in Arizona: The “Sensible Marijuana Policy Act”
The initiative, officially filed as the “Sensible Marijuana Policy Act for Arizona” (I-04-2026), is led by Sean Noble and his group, American Encore. Noble is a familiar figure in Arizona politics, having previously worked to oppose the 2016 legalization effort.
The proposed measure does not seek to re-criminalize possession entirely. Instead, it aims to shut down the recreational market while leaving the medical program intact. If passed, the initiative would:
- Ban Commercial Adult-Use Sales: The measure would repeal the laws allowing dispensaries to sell marijuana to adults 21 and older without a medical card.
- Retain Home Grow: Interestingly, the initiative would still permit adults to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants for personal use.
- Keep Medical Marijuana: The existing medical program would remain operational.
Proponents of the repeal argue that the adult-use market has failed to live up to its promises, citing concerns about youth usage and “market instability.” However, these arguments ignore the reality of what happens when you eliminate a legal market without eliminating demand.
If commercial sales are banned, the demand for cannabis will not disappear. Instead, that demand will shift back to the illicit market. This move would effectively refund the underground economy, removing the safety guardrails of testing and age verification that current dispensaries provide.
To get this measure in front of voters for the November 2026 election, American Encore faces a steep hill. They must collect 255,949 valid signatures by July 3, 2026. While this is a high threshold, the group has indicated they are prepared to spend millions to achieve it.
It’s Not Just Arizona: A Multi-State Playbook
The effort in Arizona appears to be part of a larger pattern where opponents of legalization are trying to use the ballot box to reverse established laws. Two other states are currently facing similar threats.
Maine
In Maine, where voters approved legalization in 2016, a new citizen initiative is gathering steam. Led by Republican State Senator Scott Cyrway, this group seeks to repeal the laws allowing for the commercial cultivation and sale of recreational cannabis.
Like the Arizona measure, it would likely spare the medical program but would effectively destroy the adult-use economy. Supporters of the repeal in Maine need to collect approximately 67,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Massachusetts
The threat is perhaps most immediate in Massachusetts. A petition titled “An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy”—sharing a nearly identical name to the Arizona measure—has already been certified by the state.
Organizers submitted over 78,000 signatures, clearing the first hurdle to place the question on the 2026 ballot. This measure aims to dismantle the commercial market in a state where the industry now supports over 27,000 jobs and generates billions in sales.
Why Rolling Back Legalization is Dangerous
Proponents of these rollback measures often frame them as a “correction” or a return to public safety. However, dismantling a regulated market introduces significant risks and economic damages that voters previously rejected.
Empowering the illicit market
The primary achievement of legalization is the migration of consumers from the illicit market to the legal one. Legal dispensaries check IDs, preventing sales to minors. They also sell products that are rigorously tested for pesticides, heavy metals, and mold.
Repealing legal sales does not stop adults from consuming cannabis; it simply forces them to buy it from unregulated sources. In an era where street drugs are increasingly contaminated with dangerous substances like fentanyl, a regulated cannabis supply chain is a matter of public health.
Economic devastation
The cannabis industry has become a massive economic driver. In Arizona alone, excise taxes on adult-use sales fund community colleges, public safety, and infrastructure. Rolling back the law would instantly vaporize these revenue streams.
Furthermore, it would result in mass layoffs. Between budtenders, cultivators, logistics teams, and compliance officers, thousands of Arizonans depend on this industry for their livelihood.
Disrespecting the will of the voter
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of these initiatives is their disregard for the democratic process. Voters in Arizona, Maine, and Massachusetts engaged in debates, reviewed the propositions, and cast their ballots in favor of legalization.
Attempting to repeal these laws just a few years later undermines the stability of voter-approved initiatives and suggests that the electorate’s decision is only valid until a well-funded opposition group decides otherwise.
Vigilance is Required
The filing of the “Sensible Marijuana Policy Act” in Arizona serves as a wake-up call. Legalization is not a permanent state; it requires active maintenance and defense. Opponents of cannabis reform are organized, well-funded, and using a coordinated strategy across multiple states to roll back the clock on progress.
For those who support safe access, economic growth, and personal freedom, the next two years will be critical. It is essential to stay informed about the status of these petitions and to remind legislators and neighbors alike that the voters spoke clearly in 2020: Arizona wants a legal, regulated, and safe cannabis market.
years will be critical. It is essential to stay informed about the status of these petitions and to remind legislators and neighbors alike that the voters spoke clearly in 2020: Arizona wants a legal, regulated, and safe cannabis market.
