A marijuana reform campaign supported by the industry has collected more than 70% of the signatures needed to present a legalization initiative to voters on the 2024 ballot.
The Florida Division of Elections keeps track of petition count for the measure at each month’s end. At March’s close, the campaign had 635 961 valid signatures. This was the first reported by News Service Florida.
The measure passed a major hurdle at the end of January: obtaining enough signatures to start a state Supreme Court review the measure’s text. This analysis is still in progress.
The campaign had passed the symbolic threshold of 420,000 signatures by February’s end.
The Florida Supreme Court will examine the proposal to ensure it doesn’t violate any state Constitution single subject rules and that it isn’t misleading voters. The court will determine if the initiative meets these standards and the campaign must collect at least 891 589 signatures in order to be on the next year’s ballot.
Given the current pace of petitioning, it is likely organizers will reach that signature goal by May’s end, if not earlier.
The court has rejected previous attempts to legalize adult-use in Florida.
Smart & Safe Florida, which filed a legal cannabis measure last summer is almost entirely being funded by Trulieve, the largest state medical cannabis operator. Trulieve provided seed money and has contributed at least $25,000,000 to the campaign.
The measure, if approved, would amend the state Constitution to allow existing medical marijuana companies like Trulieve to start selling marijuana to anyone over 21. It includes a provision that allows, but not requires, lawmakers to approve additional businesses. The proposal as it stands would prohibit consumers from cultivating their own food.
The proposal would allow adults aged 21 or older to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but only 5 grams could be cannabis concentrate products. Advocates favor equity provisions such as extinguishments or other relief for those with previous cannabis convictions. The three-page measure does not include equity provisions.
A poll done last month showed that 70% of Florida voters support the idea of legalization through a constitutional amendment.
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Florida voters approved a 2016 constitutional amendment to legalize medical cannabis. However, subsequent attempts to legalize more marijuana have been rejected by the state Supreme Court . The court ruled that the language used by Make It Legal Florida (and Sensible Florida ) was misleading and invalidated them.
This is what the Smart & Safe Florida marijuana law reform initiative would achieve:
Adults aged 21 or older can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana for their personal use. Five grams is the maximum amount of marijuana concentrates that could be purchased.
A medical cannabis dispensary could “acquire and cultivate marijuana products and accessories for adults for personal use.”
The legislature could authorize, but not require, the approval of additional entities not licensed as cannabis dispensaries.
The proposal states that the initiative does not prevent the legislature from “enacting laws consistent with this amendment”.
Further, the amendment clarifies that nothing in the proposal “changes federal laws,” which appears to be an attempt to avoid legal challenges regarding misleading ballot language.
It is not possible to cultivate a home, erase prior records, or create social equity.
After approval by voters, the measure would be in effect for six months.
The full text and summary of the ballot title are available here:
“Allows adult 21-year-olds to possess, buy, or use marijuana products for personal non-medical consumption by smoking, ingestion or other means; permits Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers and other state licensed entities to acquire, cultivate and process marijuana products and accessories. It applies to Florida law. Does not modify or immunize federal laws. Personal use possession limits are established. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.”
To make cannabis reform legislation effective in 2024, it would need to be approved by at least 60% of Florida voters.
A poll that was conducted in 2021 showed that the majority of Florida voters (59%) supported legalizing adult cannabis use. This is a narrow margin that indicates that advocates will be hard at work if this measure passes.
Activists who aren’t involved in Smart & Safe Florida said last year they were exploring the possibility of having voters vote on a complementary measure that will allow adults to grow cannabis at home.
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The post Florida Marijuana Legalization Campaign Closes Signature Total Required For Ballot Access was first published on Marijuana Moment.
