- A proposed Constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida has received 635,961 valid signatures, leaving it just 255,000 signatures short of the required number of signatories.
- The initiative would allow individuals aged 21 or older to “possess, use, purchase, display, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and marijuana accessories for personal use for any reason.”
- A recent public opinion poll conducted by the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) found that 70 percent of respondents expressed support for the measure, while 29 percent indicated opposition.
- A Capitolist reader poll reflects a much tighter split in public opinion, with 49.49 percent of voters in favor of recreational legalization, while 50.51 percent stand against the measure.
A proposed Constitutional amendment that aims to include a vote on the legalization of recreational marijuana in Florida on the 2024 ballots has received 635,961 valid signatures, as of this week. The figure places the initiative just 255,000 signatures short of the required number of signatories.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, would allow individuals aged 21 or older to “possess, use, purchase, display, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and marijuana accessories for personal use for any reason.”
Backers like Trulieve — which has contributed more than $20 million to the cause — are working to gather enough signatures to appear on the ballot next year. To reach the ballot, the political committee will have to submit 891,589 valid signatures and receive the Florida Supreme Court’s approval.
The campaign collected enough signatures in February to trigger a state Supreme Court review of the initiative, accruing the necessary 294,000 valid signatures from Florida voters.
The proposal also would allow any of the state’s 22 licensed medical marijuana operators to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and accessories.”
An ongoing Capitolist reader poll shows the ballot initiative running neck and neck, with 49.49 percent of voters in favor of recreational legalization, while 50.51 percent stand against the measure.
According to a recent public opinion poll conducted by the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL), 70 percent of respondents expressed support for the measure, either strongly or somewhat, while 29 percent indicated opposition, either strongly or somewhat. The findings of this poll are consistent with previous PORL statewide polls, which have also shown high levels of support, with 76 percent in the Spring of 2022, and 64 percent in November 2019.
“Efforts to put recreational marijuana in front of voters in 2024 are in the beginning stages, but support for it is high across the political spectrum,” said Dr. Michael Binder, PORL faculty director and professor of political science. “If it makes it onto the ballot next year, and that’s a big ‘if,’ it has a good chance of reaching the 60 percent supermajority needed to pass.”
In 2020, a campaign called Make It Legal Florida attempted to gather enough signatures to put a marijuana legalization amendment on the state’s 2020 ballot but failed to reach the minimum count.
Medical marijuana was legalized in Florida in 2016 through a ballot initiative known as Amendment 2. The initiative was approved by 71 percent of voters, making Florida one of 33 states, as well as the District of Columbia, to have legalized medical marijuana in some form. The initiative was sponsored by a political action committee called United for Care, which was led by Orlando attorney John Morgan.