While there is pending legislation to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida, it appears that most Floridians are already on board.
The University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) released the results of a new poll on March 9, finding that 70% of respondents would back a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis for adult use. The level of support is higher than the already sturdy 64% figure of approval recorded by the PORL in November 2019 but slightly lower than the 76% found in February 2022.
The poll asked registered voters across the state about a number of policy issues, including a number of proposed constitutional amendments and bills that have been filed or proposed ahead of the 2023 session of the Florida legislature.
Dr. Michael Binder, PORL faculty director and professor of political science, weighed in on the results in a statement.
“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,” Binder said. “If it makes it onto the ballot next year, and that’s a big ‘if,’ it has a good chance of reaching the 60% supermajority needed to pass.”
Currently, Florida advocates are working to get the issue on 2024 ballots. The Safe & Smart Florida political committee is leading the initiative, and at the beginning of March, the group reported it had submitted more than 420,000 valid petition signatures to the state. The committee would need to submit a total of at least 891,589 signatures to get the amendment onto the ballot.
In February, Safe & Smart Florida topped a threshold of 222,898 signatures which triggered a Florida Supreme Court review of the proposed ballot wording. All valid signatures must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2024.
The measure, titled “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana,” would allow people 21 and older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.” It would also enable the state’s existing medical cannabis dispensaries to transition into recreational retail stores.
Florida voters approved Amendment 2, “Expand Medical Marijuana,” in 2016, with 71.3% voting yes. Global Cannabis Times reports that Florida is the largest and most lucrative medical-only cannabis market in the United States. With only 22 businesses licensed to legally operate in the state, the Brightfield Group expects the state to register 25% year-over-year growth in 2022 to $1.7 billion. Florida is also gearing up to issue additional licenses, setting the stage for further growth.
Trulieve, the state’s largest medical cannabis company, had shown immense support, spending $25 million on the initiative as of the end of January according to the News Service of Florida, making it the largest donor behind the measure.
It follows a trend observed in last year’s elections, documented in an MJBizDaily report, finding that nearly all campaign donations funding state legalization initiatives came from cannabis companies. Previously, advocacy groups and wealthy individuals led funding for cannabis legalization efforts.
“We came into this with a mission to provide access to high-quality products that are safe and have an appropriate value proposition to give folks control over their—in the original days—medical journey,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said when the campaign launched. “I don’t think that changes here. I mean, in effect we are at our core about expanding the opportunity for access to safe legal product, which is what this would allow us to continue to do.”
Florida Governor Ron Desantis (R) has spoken against cannabis legalization in the past. In January 2022, he told reporters, “What I don’t like about it is if you go to some of these places that have done it, the stench when you’re out there, I mean, it smells so putrid. I want people to be able to breathe freely.”
He also made headlines claiming that medical cannabis operators should pay more for licenses. Conversely, First District Court of Appeal Judge Ross Bilbrey later criticized Florida health officials for not following up on promises to grant additional medical cannabis licenses as required by law.
