The Battle for Legalization: Florida’s Cannabis Reform on the Ballot
The fight to legalize cannabis in Florida is in full swing, with the state’s Supreme Court ruling that voters will have the final say on the future of cannabis reform in this year’s November ballot.
After successfully implementing medical cannabis reform in 2016, Florida is now on the brink of entering the recreational cannabis market. This move has been highly anticipated by many, including cannabis businesses like Trulieve, who have invested over $40 million in the campaign. Other medical cannabis treatment centers have also contributed several million dollars to the cause.
Despite the momentum leading up to Election Day, there is a possibility that the measure may not pass under the state Constitution. According to a recent poll, in order for a measure to pass in Florida, it must gain 60% support. However, the USA Today/Ipsos survey shows that only 56% of registered Florida voters and 49% of Florida adults overall support the measure. 40% said they would vote against it, and only 4% were unsure.
The survey also revealed that Democrats and independents are the most supportive of the measure, with 69% and 63% respectively. On the other hand, only 39% of registered Republican voters said they would vote in favor of the measure. Support also varied by region, with central Florida showing the highest support for recreational cannabis legalization at 54%, followed by north Florida at 49%, and south Florida at 38%.
While there were no significant differences in support by gender or age, the survey did find that white Floridians were more likely to vote in favor of recreational cannabis legalization compared to Hispanic Floridians (55% vs. 32%). The poll was conducted from April 5-7 and included 369 Republicans, 264 Democrats, and 316 independents.
This poll is significant as it is the first to come out after the Florida Supreme Court’s decision to allow the measure on the ballot and reject the state attorney general’s challenge. It is also the most recent survey among several others that have attempted to gauge support for recreational cannabis in Florida, with varying results.
A poll from the University of North Florida in November 2023 found that 67% of respondents would vote in favor of a constitutional amendment to allow adults in Florida to purchase and possess small amounts of cannabis for personal use. It also noted that 70% of respondents supported recreational cannabis in Florida in Spring 2023, and 76% showed support in Spring 2022.
Notably, this recent poll provided respondents with the specifics of the proposed amendment, rather than simply asking if they support or oppose recreational cannabis legalization. The proposed amendment, known as Amendment 3, would allow individuals over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis for personal use.
