Close up of flowering cannabis plant. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
In this November’s election, Florida residents will have the opportunity to either puff or pass on recreationally legal marijuana.
The Florida Supreme Court on Monday ruled the constitutional amendment will show up on the upcoming ballot this November.
If passed, the measure would allow companies that already grow and sell medical marijuana to do so for any adult aged 21 or over without a medical card. It would also make possession of the plant legal for personal use.
In a financial impact statement, based on other states’ experiences, expected retail sales of non-medical marijuana would generate “at least” $195.6 million annually in state and local sales tax revenues once the retail market is fully operational.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody took to “X” (formerly Twitter) to criticize the Supreme Court’s rulings when it comes to the amendments on recreational marijuana and abortion.
“We appreciate the court revisiting its precedent on Florida’s right to privacy and returning the meaning of that amendment to the voters’ original intention,” Moody wrote Monday.
“That decision outlines the difficulties and divisiveness of allowing vague and misleading initiatives on the ballot. We have argued from the beginning that these two new constitutional initiatives will mislead voters. We maintain that it will be an uphill battle to educate them. However, we respect the court’s decisions.”
The entity spearheading the fight for recreational marijuana, Smart & Safe Florida, released statements sharing their joy of Monday’s decision.
The Bellamy Brothers, who chair the Smart & Safe Florida campaign, said in a statement: “We are thrilled to see that the Florida Supreme Court rightfully granted the people the right to vote on allowing adults to purchase and consume cannabis products safely and legally. As we tour across the United States, we recognize that most Americans already enjoy this right in their respective states, and we are glad to see Floridians will soon be able to make this decision for themselves at the ballot box in November.”