David Boyer has been in the marijuana reform movement since 2013, when he was hired by the MPP as the Maine Political Director. Boyer spearheaded the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Maine, a four-year endeavor that ultimately led to the end of marijuana prohibition in the state.
In 2013 and 2014, Boyer worked with local activists around Maine to make marijuana legal at the municipal level. Successful campaigns to remove the penalties for marijuana possession passed in Portland and South Portland, respectively. These local measures were used to build support for legalization and to educate the public about the relative harms of marijuana compared to alcohol.
In 2015, Boyer directed the statewide petition drive to place an initiative on the ballot that would tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. The campaign turned in over 100,000 signatures in support of the initiative, which later became Yes on 1: Regulate and Tax Marijuana.
In 2016, the Maine Secretary of State rejected a large portion of signatures and thus prevented the measure from being on the ballot. Boyer, along with other affected Maine voters, appealed the decision and went to court. The judge found the argument credible and asked the secretary of state to re-review the signatures. After the re-review, the state announced that enough signatures had been submitted to qualify for the ballot.
Boyer was named Yes on 1’s campaign manager and coordinated the campaign’s field and communications efforts. On November 8, 2016, Maine voters passed Question 1 with 50.26% of the vote.
Since 2017, Boyer has been working with the Maine Legislature to implement Maine’s adult-use program. This includes testifying at the Marijuana Legalization Implementation Committees public hearings and work sessions.
In addition to his work in Maine, Boyer advocates for reform in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam. A former Marylander, he resides in Portland, Maine.