Massachusetts: Legislation Doubling Marijuana Possession Limits Sent to Governor

House and Senate lawmakers have advanced legislation, HB 4206, raising marijuana possession limits for adults and making several other changes to the state’s cannabis legalization law. The measure now awaits action from Democratic Gov. Maura Healey.

Specifically, the bill allows adults to purchase and possess up to two ounces of cannabis in public. (Current law caps purchase limits at one ounce.) Other provisions in the proposal amend certain advertising and production restrictions for state-licensed businesses, and reduce the total number of members on the state’s cannabis commission, among other changes.

Massachusetts voters in 2016 approved a statewide ballot initiative regulating the adult-use marijuana market. Prohibitionist groups are seeking to overturn much of the law with a proposed 2026 initiative, ‘An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy.’ That measure is now being legally challenged. Recent statewide polling finds that 63 percent of Massachusetts’ voters, including strong majorities of Democrats (74 percent) and Independents (69 percent), oppose the repeal question.

“There’s no ‘buyer’s remorse’ among the public when it comes to legalizing cannabis,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Nor is there support among lawmakers to reverse course on legalization. That’s because these policies are largely working as intended and because Massachusetts voters and politicians prefer legalization and regulation over a return to the failed policy of marijuana prohibition.”

NORML’s legislative alert supporting HB 4206 is available from the Take Action Center. NORML also has several resources and fact sheets opposing the Massachusetts repeal initiative campaign available in Election Central.