Trump Republicans backing Arizona marijuana adult-use sales repeal

OG article by MJBizDaily Staff

January 28, 2026

Prominent Arizona Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar, support repealing adult-use cannabis sales despite President Trump's marijuana rescheduling push. A voter initiative, the "Sensible Marijuana Policy Act for Arizona," backed by anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), seeks to eliminate recreational sales while preserving medical ones—mirroring efforts in Massachusetts and Maine. Arizona's market hit $1.2 billion in 2024 sales. The measure, sponsored by consultant Sean Noble, requires nearly 256,000 signatures by July 2026 for the November ballot. Biggs indicated inclination to back it, citing welfare concerns for users, while Gosar supports repeal and plans to urge Trump to reconsider rescheduling, claiming industry noncompliance. Trump's December executive order directed moving cannabis to Schedule III, defying some GOP opposition. SAM funds similar re-criminalization pushes elsewhere. In Massachusetts, a $1.55 million-backed effort survived fraud allegations against petition circulators, with the Ballot Law Commission rejecting an investigation on January 22. These efforts challenge state-legal markets amid federal shifts, highlighting intra-party tensions over cannabis policy. Repeal would significantly impact Arizona's billion-dollar industry established in 2021.