A new initiative for recreational marijuana in Florida aims for the 2026 ballot, addressing past concerns.
This new plan, filed by the Smart & Safe Florida committee, aims to tackle issues that Governor Ron DeSantis raised last time. Even though voters liked the idea, it didn’t hit the 60% needed to pass.
The new measure still lets adults 21 and older buy and possess marijuana, but it’s tweaked a bit. For instance, it now says you can’t smoke or vape in public places, which was a big concern for DeSantis. They’re also making sure that marketing doesn’t target kids.
An attorney who knows the cannabis scene thinks this is a smart move. By addressing the governor’s worries, they might get him on board this time.
Back in 2016, Florida voters approved medical marijuana, but recreational use wasn’t included. The company behind this push, Trulieve, has invested a ton of money into making recreational weed happen.
The new proposal would let current medical-marijuana companies sell recreational pot, but it also opens the door for new businesses. This could mean more variety for customers, which is a win-win.
Trulieve is a major player in the state, selling a big chunk of medical marijuana. DeSantis has been critical of their influence, claiming they could monopolize the market.
He’s been pretty aggressive in fighting against the last proposal, even using state resources to campaign against it. Now, he’s calling for a special session to possibly change how petitions for ballot measures are gathered, which could make it tougher for this new initiative to get on the ballot.
With nearly 900,000 patients in the medical-marijuana system, the stakes are high. Plus, the state is looking to double the number of licensed medical-marijuana companies soon.
The new amendment would allow companies to grow and sell marijuana for personal use, but adults can only possess up to 2 ounces, which is less than what was proposed before. Fingers crossed this one gets through!
