SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Weed for Warriors Project, a social justice organization advocating for veterans’ access to cannabis, is urging Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to champion a proposed 2026 California ballot initiative aimed at reforming state spending. The measure would grant DOGE complete oversight of California’s budget, including the authority to audit nonprofits that receive a majority of their funding from state taxpayers.
Veterans and the struggling cannabis industry
The initiative was inspired by the ongoing challenges in California’s legal cannabis industry, now exacerbated by an impending tax hike. Weed for Warriors warns the increase threatens veteran access to medical cannabis, a recognized alternative to opioids for pain management.
Effective July 1, California’s cannabis excise tax will rise from 15 percent to 19 percent, the result of a deal struck three years ago between elected officials and nonprofit groups benefiting from cannabis tax revenue. Weed for Warriors cautions this move could price out financially distressed disabled veterans, pushing them toward the illicit market or opioid use despite studies showing opioid overdose rates decrease where cannabis is accessible.
Nonprofits and accountability
According to Sean Kiernan, CEO of Weed for Warriors, the state’s budget prioritizes nonprofit funding over veteran well-being. Kiernan criticized California’s approach.
“The state’s cannabis policies are abandoning veterans,” he said. “This 19-percent tax, orchestrated with nonprofits, makes legal cannabis unaffordable for disabled vets, driving them to opioids or the black market. Meanwhile, these nonprofits collect billions from taxpayers with zero accountability, yet California’s veteran homelessness crisis continues to worsen.”
According to Kiernan, nonprofits account for 10-15 percent of California’s $300 billion annual budget — equivalent to $30-$45 billion, much of which is directed through cannabis tax revenue and homelessness programs. Despite California spending more than $20 billion on homelessness initiatives, more than 11,000 veterans remain unhoused, Kiernan said.
How DOGE and Musk could reshape California’s budget
Weed for Warriors views DOGE as the solution to what he considers the state’s fiscal mismanagement. The organization’s proposed 2026 initiative would authorize Musk and his team to:
✅ Oversee California’s entire budget, from revenue collection to expenditure.
✅ Audit nonprofits relying on state funds, particularly those benefiting from cannabis tax revenue.
✅ Redirect resources to voter priorities, including lowering tax and regulatory burdens.
DOGE’s federal track record
Since its establishment by presidential executive order on January 20, DOGE claims to have saved the federal government $65 billion through initiatives such as:
- Fraud detection and elimination.
- Contract and lease renegotiations/cancellations.
- Asset sales and grant reductions.
- Workforce optimization and regulatory cost-cutting.
Legislative repeal under consideration
A bill filed February 20 aims to stop the tax increase without Musk’s intervention. Assembly Bill 564, introduced by San Francisco Democrat Matt Haney, would repeal the part of the 2022 law that mandated the rate hike.
Nevertheless, Kiernan and his team believe inviting Musk to duplicate his federal actions at the state level would provide a more comprehensive solution.
“Elon Musk can break this cycle,” Kiernan said. “Nonprofits are pocketing billions while veterans suffer. The state’s deal to raise cannabis taxes just exacerbates the crisis. DOGE can audit these groups, cut waste, and put taxpayers first. We need Musk to lead this initiative in 2026.”
