Florida Supreme Court allows recreational marijuana ballot measure
The measure requires 60% approval to pass in November, when Democrats are hoping to make electoral gains in a state where they have struggled for years.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled Monday that an initiative to legalize the recreational use of marijuana can appear on the state's ballot in November.
The proposed amendment would allow people 21 years or older “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise,” and it would permit medical marijuana treatment centers and other state licensed entities “to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories.”
The measure, which many Republicans oppose, including the state attorney general's office, will require 60% approval from voters to pass.
In an advisory opinion, Justice Jamie R. Grosshans said the court would allow the proposed amendment, adding that it meets the requirements for constitutionality and clarity.
"Our role is narrow—we assess only whether the amendment conforms to the constitutionally mandated single-subject requirement, whether the ballot summary meets the statutory standard for clarity, and whether the amendment is facially invalid under the federal constitution," wrote Grosshans, an appointee of Gov. Ron DeSantis. "In light of those limited considerations, we approve the proposed amendment for placement on the ballot."
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