A Win for Colorado Springs: City Council Won't Put a Cannabis Ban on the Ballot

For the past year, the Colorado Springs Cannabis Alliance has worked to make sure City Council members and Colorado Springs voters understand something simple: recreational cannabis is an asset to this city, not a liability. We've focused our conversations on what our tax dollars actually do — including helping fund a 2026 firefighter academy class that will put more trained firefighters on the streets of Colorado Springs.

That work paid off. The City Council has decided not to refer a ban on recreational cannabis to the November 2026 ballot.

This is a significant moment for our industry and for the city. It means the conversation Colorado Springs has been having about cannabis is shifting — from "should this exist here" to "how do we make sure it keeps benefiting the community." Council members heard the data, heard from business owners and employees, and heard from residents who see the direct value cannabis tax revenue brings to public safety and other city priorities. They chose not to put that progress at risk.

But this isn't the finish line. Every dollar our industry generates for Colorado Springs is a dollar we should be talking about — proudly and often. We'll keep telling that story to Council, to voters, and to anyone who wants to understand what recreational cannabis actually does for this city.