Florida will vote on marijuana legalization initiative in November
The Florida Supreme Court has decided not to block a ballot initiative aiming to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults in this year's general election. This decision is a significant boost for the effort to legalize marijuana in the third-most populous state in the country.
With approval from Florida's conservative-leaning high court and more than 1 million signed and certified voter petitions, Florida voters will have the opportunity to vote on an issue that the state's Republican-led Legislature has consistently rejected.
The court's decision comes in response to a request from Florida Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody to reject the ballot language, arguing that the measure fails to remind voters about the federal ban on marijuana.
In a 5-2 ruling, the Florida Supreme Court determined that the ballot language proposed by the Smart & Safe Florida committee for November's election complies with the state's single-subject rule for ballot initiatives.
Justice Jamie Grosshans, writing for the majority, stated that the ballot language was not too confusing for voters and rejected an argument that the proposed amendment would require the Legislature to create new licenses to sell marijuana beyond the companies currently allowed to sell medical marijuana.
"We do not believe the summary would confuse a voter into thinking that the Legislature is required to authorize additional licenses," the opinion states. "It clearly states that the amendment legalizes adult personal possession and use of marijuana as a matter of Florida law."
The campaign for Smart & Safe Florida was funded by more than $39 million from Trulieve, the largest medical marijuana company in Florida. If approved by 60% of voters in November, the proposed amendment would allow Trulieve and the 24 other companies licensed by the state to sell and grow marijuana for medical use to begin selling to anyone over the age of 21.
"We are thankful that the Court has correctly ruled the ballot initiative and summary language meets the standards for single subject and clarity. We look forward to supporting this campaign as it heads to the ballot this Fall," Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers wrote in a statement.