Florida voters will now have the chance to vote on adult-use cannabis legalization in November.
On Monday, Florida’s Supreme Court voted by 5-2 not to block an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis from being put on the ballot during this year’s general election.
Last year, Business of Cannabis reported that Florida activists had successfully collected enough valid signatures to see a cannabis legalization initiative qualify for a 2024 general election ballot placement.
The Smart & Safe Florida campaign put forward the ‘Adult Personal Use of Marijuana’ amendment, which would allow for the non-medical use of cannabis and prohibit any law subjecting use to criminal liability.
However, the proposals have already received significant pushback from the state’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who called on the Supreme Court to ban the bill going to a vote.
Florida is already the largest medical cannabis market in the US with more than 871,000 registered patients.
If the bill is passed in November, the 25 medical cannabis companies currently licenced to cultivate medical cannabis would be allowed to begin shifting their operations to the recreational market and selling to adults over the age of 21.
Trulieve, which provided $39m in funding to Florida’s Smart & Safe campaign, said: “We are thankful that the Court has correctly ruled the ballot initiative and summary language meet the standards for single subject and clarity. We look forward to supporting this campaign as it heads to the ballot this November.”
Due to local voting laws, the measure will need to receive a majority of at least 60% to be passed in November.
While Florida’s Republican-led legislature has repeatedly thwarted efforts to legalize recreational cannabis, reports emerged in January that suggested a number of key GOP donors have amassed a significant stake in the state’s medical cannabis industry, and stand to cash in on legalization if it occurs.
