Marijuana Legalization Put On 2024 Florida Ballot, A.G. Asks State Supreme Court To Block

Twenty-one states have legalized recreational marijuana use so far, and Florida may soon join those ranks.

Florida’s Department of State announced earlier this week that the proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida obtained enough signatures to put it on the ballot in 2024.

Proposed by Smart & Safe Florida, the amendment would allow adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of marijuana. Medical marijuana treatment centers — made legal in Florida in 2016 — would also be allowed to sell marijuana for recreational use.

Smart & Safe Florida spent $38.4 million to get the proposal on the ballot — a sum paid for by Trulieve Inc., a leading cannabis provider that originated in Florida and now has 186 dispensaries across 11 states. The outcome was seemingly worth the price for the two parties as the proposal managed to gather 967,528 signatures — 75,939 more than the requirement.

However, the amendment still faces a Florida Supreme Court review and a likely legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, who previously opposed a 2022 marijuana legalization proposal. In May, Moody forwarded the proposed 2024 amendment to the Florida Supreme Court for review, arguing that the proposal doesn’t comply with state law because it lacks “clear and unambiguous language.”

Still, Smart & Safe Florida, Trulieve Inc., and other supporters of the amendment are proud of their recent milestone.

“We are thrilled the campaign has made this milestone and look forward to seeing this initiative on the ballot next November,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said in a statement yesterday. “Floridians are ready to experience the freedom to use cannabis for personal consumption.”

Article by Viktoria Wulff-Andersen