The successful drive to bring recreational marijuana to Florida’s 2024 ballot, is one of the most expensive marijuana legalization campaigns in U.S. history — racking up a $40 million price tag so far — but the journey to legalize adult use marijuana in the Sunshine State is far from over.
Until recently, the initiative was funded almost exclusively by Smart & Safe Florida, buoyed by the steadfast support of Trulieve, a prominent Florida based medical marijuana provider — but just three days after the court’s April 1 approval, the campaign announced it has raised another $15 million in additional funding from several new donors, including Verano Holdings Corp., Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., AYR Wellness, Inc., Cresco Labs. Inc., Green Thumb Industries, Inc. and INSA, Inc.
Steven Vancore, a spokesperson for the Smart & Safe campaign, said the new funding will bolster their mission of securing victory this fall. He also acknowledged that the journey to bring the Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative, to the ballot, was hard won.
To trigger a review by the state Supreme Court, the initiative needed the signatures of 891,523 Florida voters. However, organizers exceeded expectations by gathering 1,033,769 signatures, well surpassing the requirement.
The court began its review of the amendment’s language in November and on April 1, announced that Amendment 3 — also called the Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative — would appear on the November 2024 ballot, giving voters the power to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida.
- MORE: It’s official: Recreational marijuana will be on Florida’s 2024 ballot
Now, Vancore said, the focus will turn to communicating the campaign’s mission to the public — and winning votes in November.
“We have a campaign to speak to the public, educate the public and communicate our mission,” Vancore said — but he admits, it’s “like playing Whac-A-Mole with bad messaging.”
One such “bad message” he wants to eradicate is the misunderstanding over when and where people will be able to use marijuana if it is legalized.
Addressing reporters on March 8, following the close of Florida’s 2024 legislative session, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised concerns when he said the proposed amendment had some of “the broadest language” he’s ever seen.
“Basically, nobody could ever be regulated or penalized in any way for possessing or using this,” DeSantis said. “I mean, you can’t regulate it near a school, you can’t tell people you can’t smoke… it seems to supersede any other regulatory regime that we have.”
And DeSantis told cannabis lobbyist Don Murphy, that when he visits cities where adult marijuana use is legal — “it smells.”
“Everywhere it smells,” DeSantis said. “So, from a quality of life perspective, if you can’t do time, place and manner restrictions, that is going to impact every Floridian one way or another.”
- MORE: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis slams proposed marijuana legalization as too broad, too smelly
But Vancore said time, place, and manner restrictions are something the government has the authority to enforce.
Attorney John Bash was part of the legal team who represented the Smart & Safe campaign before the Florida Supreme Court. In an analysis written for The Capitolist, Bash recalled the governor’s comments, and said, “he’s just wrong” over concerns that the amendment would lead to rampant marijuana smoking in public spaces like city sidewalks, hotels and near schools.
“As the attorney who represented the sponsor of the amendment before the Florida Supreme Court—and as a longtime fan of Governor DeSantis—I understand his apprehension. No one should have to endure the odor of marijuana while commuting to work, walking the dog, or relaxing at the beach,” Bash wrote. “But he’s just wrong about what the amendment does. If voters approve the amendment, the legislature will have full authority to regulate or ban the use of marijuana in public places—authority that it already exercises for tobacco and alcohol. The Governor’s concerns, while no doubt well-intentioned, are unfounded.”
As the initiative moves forward, maximum effort will go towards securing the 60% voter support needed to pass on Nov. 5, something only three other states have achieved at this point.
- MORE: Florida voters in favor of amendment for recreational marijuana use
According to Smart & Safe, recent public polls have consistently shown the ballot item polling in the high 60′s or low 70′s.
A survey by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab revealed that nearly 70% of Florida’s registered voters are in favor of it.
In 2016, Florida voters overwhelmingly supported a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana, with more than 70% in favor, paving the way for a significant number of Floridians to access medical cannabis. As of April 5, 2024, the state had 877,941registered medical marijuana patients.