What to know about the Florida marijuana amendment on the 2024 ballot

When Florida voters formed their ballots successful nan 2024 election, they person nan chance to determine whether nan authorities will legalize marijuana for recreational use. They tin sound their stance by voting "yes" aliases "no" connected Amendment 3, which seeks to alteration Florida's constitution.

Here's what to cognize astir nan ballot measure, which is 1 of six amendments Florida voters are considering this election. 

What is Amendment 3?

Amendment 3 allows adults who are 21 aliases older to possess, acquisition and usage marijuana for personal, nonmedical reasons. It sets limits connected really overmuch individuals tin legally transportation — up to 85 grams of marijuana aliases 5 grams of marijuana concentrate.

It would besides let existing aesculapian marijuana dispensaries to waste marijuana to recreational users. State-licensed businesses could beryllium authorized to cultivate, process and administer nan product.  

A "yes" ballot connected nan amendment supports recreational marijuana legalization for group who are 21 and older, while a "no" ballot favors keeping successful spot nan strategy that makes marijuana only disposable for aesculapian use.

Amendment must unafraid astatine slightest 60% of nan ballot successful bid to pass. If it does, Florida will subordinate 24 different states successful approving recreational marijuana use. Recreational marijuana use, however, would still beryllium forbidden connected nan national level, which could create ineligible complexities.

If nan measurement passes, only aesculapian marijuana curen centers and different state-licensed accommodation would beryllium permitted — initially — to waste recreational marijuana. Eventually, caller authorities could let licensing for different businesses.

Polls connected Amendment 3

A CBS News/YouGov survey in May recovered that 56% of apt voters would ballot "yes" connected Amendment 3, while 30% would ballot "no." Fourteen percent remained undecided.  

More recently, successful August, a Florida Atlantic University (FAU) canvass besides showed that 56% of each voters supported marijuana legalization, pinch nan astir support coming from voters betwixt 18 and 49 years old. 

Who supports and opposes Amendment 3?

Amendment 3 supporters reason that legalizing marijuana will curb nan achromatic marketplace and guarantee that marijuana products that are sold are safe and regulated. They besides propose that decriminalizing marijuana could free up rule enforcement resources and trim nonviolent supplier offenses.

Proponents also reason nan marijuana manufacture is "sustainable and growing" and would prevention payer money by not having to salary to prosecute possession crimes.

Though immoderate Republicans are against nan measure, erstwhile President Donald Trump, who is simply a Florida resident, said he will backmost Amendment 3 connected nan ballot. 

Opponents, meanwhile, opportunity legalizing marijuana could lead to an summation successful unregulated supplier use, making roads little safe and negatively impacting youth. Some besides judge crime rates could emergence owed to wider marijuana availability.

Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, opposes nan amendment, arsenic does Republican Sen. Rick Scott, who said he opposes Amendment 3 because of his brother's agelong history of addiction. He said his relative Roger Scott, who died successful April, started smoking marijuana arsenic a teen and struggled pinch constituent maltreatment nan remainder of his life.

Former caput of nan U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala, wrote successful a Miami Herald op-ed in September that nan amendment would create a "new addiction-for-profit industry" successful Florida. She made parallels pinch actions made by nan baccy industry.

In:
• Marijuana
• Election