Law Enforcement Group Backs Campaign to Keep California Cannabis Ban

Law Enforcement Coalition Joins No Campaign

The Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), a group of current and former police, prosecutors, and judges, formally endorsed the No On 8 campaign on September 15, 2026. The organization, which describes itself as advocating for criminal justice reform, is backing the effort to defeat Proposition 8 and maintain California's current prohibition on adult-use cannabis.

LEAP's endorsement marks the first major law-enforcement institutional voice to weigh in publicly on the November ballot measure. Opposition to cannabis re-legalization won't come solely from social conservatives or parent advocacy groups — portions of the criminal justice community that previously supported drug policy reform are joining the fight.

The endorsement announcement didn't include a detailed statement from LEAP explaining its rationale. The organization has historically supported decriminalization and harm-reduction policies for other substances. Its position on Proposition 8 represents a departure from that broader platform.

Proposition 8 Context: Repeal of 2024 Ban

Proposition 8 is a citizen-initiated measure that would repeal California's 2024 prohibition statute, which banned adult-use cannabis sales statewide after a contentious legislative session. The prohibition took effect in January 2025. It shut down the state's $5.3 billion legal cannabis market and forced 1,200+ licensed retailers to close or pivot to medical-only operations.

If Proposition 8 passes in November 2026, it would restore the regulatory framework that existed under Proposition 64, the 2016 voter initiative that originally legalized adult-use cannabis in California. The measure would reinstate the Department of Cannabis Control's licensing authority and allow local jurisdictions to permit recreational sales again.

Polling released in August 2026 showed Proposition 8 leading 52-38, with 10% undecided. The Yes campaign has raised $18 million, primarily from former MSO operators and ancillary businesses, while the No campaign has raised $9 million from law-enforcement unions, parent groups, and healthcare advocacy organizations.

Enforcement Uncertainty Remains Central Issue

The debate over Proposition 8 has centered on enforcement questions that remain unresolved regardless of the ballot outcome. If the measure fails, California will remain one of three states (alongside Idaho and Kansas) that prohibit adult-use cannabis despite federal rescheduling to Schedule III in 2025. Pass or fail, the state faces thorny jurisdictional questions.

The hemp-loophole question looms over both scenarios. California's 2024 prohibition statute didn't address hemp-derived THCA or delta-8 products, which have proliferated in unlicensed retail channels since the ban took effect. The Department of Public Health issued emergency regulations in June 2026 capping total THC (post-decarboxylation) at 0.3% for hemp products, but enforcement has been inconsistent across counties.

If Proposition 8 passes, the DCC would regain authority over cannabis products, but the hemp-derived market would remain under CDPH and CDFA jurisdiction. Industry attorneys say this split creates a compliance gray zone for converted cannabinoids. Enforcement will vary by jurisdiction. For full background on this story, see the CannIntel topic hub on Proposition 8 Repeal Campaign.