Cannabis Legalization May Be On The Florida Ballot This November

The state of Florida has been lagging behind many other states when it comes to recreational cannabis legalization, but that may finally be changing this year.

Governor Ron DeSantis (R), who recently dropped out of the presidential race, spoke on the issue during his final campaign run in New Hampshire. Cannabis lobbyists, demonstrating an impressive effort, have gathered nearly a million signatures to support placing legalization on the ballot. DeSantis has asserted that the courts might indeed approve it. However, the court system has not confirmed this yet, and it might simply be DeSantis making a prediction or speculation.

Currently, the measure is facing some pushback from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R). Moody successfully blocked marijuana legalization from appearing on the 2022 ballot and is now challenging the measure by claiming that it will mislead voters into thinking they are protected from federal laws. Florida Supreme Court Justices have already expressed that they are unlikely to bar the measure from appearing on ballots for this reason.

DeSantis, although not a fan of Florida legalization, has stated that he will respect the rights of the voters. In order for the measure to pass, it must receive at least 60% of the vote. Polls show a somewhat divided opinion on whether Florida voters will meet this threshold.

If approved, adults over 21 can purchase up to an ounce of cannabis products at a time, with five grams of that amount allotted to marijuana concentrates. Existing medical cannabis companies, such as Trulieve, could start selling recreational marijuana, but it remains unclear whether lawmakers would approve other businesses to open dispensaries. The current proposal does not permit home cultivation.

The bill would amend Florida’s constitution and make it the 25th state to legalize recreational cannabis. The courts must make their decision on the measure by April 1st.