2026 Arizona Ballot Measure Could Scale Back Recreational Cannabis Sales

30 December 2025

Arizona may soon reconsider its recreational cannabis system. A newly filed ballot initiative would end licensed adult-use cannabis sales while keeping personal possession, limited home cultivation, and medical marijuana legal.

Supporters of the measure say it is not meant to ban cannabis use. The proposal instead focuses on shrinking the commercial adult-use market. Adults would still be allowed to use medical marijuana, and patients would continue to access cannabis through the state’s medical card program.

The initiative cites recent sales trends as part of its rationale. Legal marijuana sales in Arizona have declined for two consecutive years, which appears to have reduced tax revenue. Backers also raise concerns about youth exposure to cannabis advertising, environmental strain linked to large-scale cultivation, and illegal sales that continue despite legalization. The proposal suggests some patients may have shifted away from the medical program after recreational sales became available.

If adult-use sales are eliminated, access to THC would remain available for patients who qualify under Arizona’s medical cannabis rules. Individuals with state-approved qualifying medical conditions may receive cannabis through licensed medical providers. That system operates under separate regulations and requires physician certification. Product types and availability differ from recreational dispensaries.

To qualify for the ballot, organizers must collect 255,949 valid signatures by July 2, 2026. If approved by voters, the measure would take effect in January 2028. It would also require lawmakers to revise cannabis advertising and tax laws to reflect the partial repeal of the voter-approved 2020 statute.

Voter response remains uncertain. Recreational marijuana passed with 60 percent of the vote in 2020. Recent polling has shown continued public support for both adult-use and medical cannabis. Even so, the new initiative keeps debates over regulation, public health, and the scale of commercial cannabis active in the state.