A new effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida is underway, aiming for the 2026 ballot after previous attempts fell short.
Tallahassee: So, there’s a fresh push to get recreational marijuana on the ballot in Florida. After a similar measure didn’t make the cut last time, a big medical-marijuana company is backing this new effort.
The Smart & Safe Florida committee filed the new proposal, hoping to get it on the 2026 ballot. They’re trying to tackle the concerns raised by Governor Ron DeSantis, who was against the last attempt.
Last year, voters showed support for the idea, but it didn’t hit the 60% needed to pass. DeSantis and his team campaigned hard against it, and they also fought another measure about abortion rights.
This new proposal still lets adults 21 and older buy and possess marijuana, but it’s tweaked to address some of the governor’s worries. For instance, it now clearly states that smoking or vaping in public is a no-go.
Paula Savchenko, a cannabis law expert, thinks it’s a smart move to address DeSantis’ concerns. She’s hopeful this will make him more open to the idea.
Back in 2016, Florida voters approved medical marijuana, but recreational use wasn’t included. The state’s largest medical-marijuana company, Trulieve, invested a ton of money—over $144 million—into last year’s effort.
The new proposal also aims to clear up DeSantis’ worries about companies like Trulieve selling recreational pot to everyone, including tourists. It would allow current medical-marijuana centers to sell recreational cannabis but also set up new rules for other businesses.
These new businesses wouldn’t have to follow the same strict rules as medical-marijuana companies, which could open up a wholesale market. Savchenko believes this would be great for the industry and give customers more options.
Trulieve has a huge presence in Florida, with over 150 retail locations. They didn’t comment on the new proposal when asked.
DeSantis has been vocal about his concerns, claiming that the last proposal would give Trulieve a monopoly. He even used state resources to campaign against it.
Recently, he called for a special legislative session to discuss changes to how petitions for ballot measures are gathered, claiming there’s been fraud in the process. This could make it tougher for the Smart & Safe Florida committee to gather the signatures they need.
Meanwhile, nearly 900,000 patients are already in Florida’s medical-marijuana system. The state is also looking to nearly double the number of licensed medical-marijuana companies, which could shake things up even more.
The new amendment would let companies grow and sell marijuana for personal use at their dispensaries starting in 2025. Adults could possess up to 2 ounces, which is less than what was allowed in the previous proposal.
Overall, Savchenko sees this as a positive step for the industry and hopes it will pass.
