A new industry-led campaign in Florida filed a marijuana legalization initiative aimed at the 2024 ballot on Monday.
Past attempts to place adult-use legalization on the Florida ballot have been challenged and rejected by the state Supreme Court. But the Smart & Safe Florida political committee says the language of their proposed amendment to the state’s marijuana law will avoid such a contest and prevail.
The initiative is being backed by the state’s largest medical cannabis operator Trulieve, along with musicians with the country band The Bellamy Brothers, who are featured in an initial ad for the effort that talks about the economic opportunities and civil liberties implications of recreational legalization.
If approved, the measure would allow existing medical cannabis companies like Trulieve to begin selling marijuana to all adults over 21. It contains a provision that would allow—but not require—lawmakers to take steps toward the approval of additional businesses. Home cultivation by consumers would not be allowed under the proposal as drafted.
The campaign filed paperwork to get approval to begin signature gathering with the state Division of Elections on Monday, The News Service of Florida first reported. In order to qualify for the 2024 ballot, activists will need to collect about 900,000 valid signatures from registered voters.
If approved, the measure would allow existing medical cannabis companies like Trulieve to begin selling marijuana to all adults over 21. It contains a provision that would allow—but not require—lawmakers to take steps toward the approval of additional businesses. Home cultivation by consumers would not be allowed under the proposal as drafted.
The campaign filed paperwork to get approval to begin signature gathering with the state Division of Elections on Monday, The News Service of Florida first reported. In order to qualify for the 2024 ballot, activists will need to collect about 900,000 valid signatures from registered voters.
Under the proposal, adults 21 and older would be able to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis, only five grams of which could be marijuana concentrate products. The three-page measure also omits equity provisions favored by advocates such as expungements or other relief for people with prior cannabis convictions.
Trulieve is providing initial seed money to the tune of $5 million to get the campaign off the ground. But the company’s CEO Kim Rivers said that they expect other industry stakeholders to get involved on the financial side of the campaign as well.
While Florida voters approved a medical cannabis constitutional amendment in 2016, subsequent attempts to place broader legalization on the ballot have been rejected by the state Supreme Court, which has ruled that the language of proposed measures by Make It Legal Florida and Sensible Florida were misleading, invalidating them.
“Every initiative has provided some level of learning,” Rivers told the News Service of Florida. “With this initiative, the authors have taken a hard look at the Supreme Court rulings surrounding the previous efforts and taken that into consideration. We believe it’s a very appropriate and narrowly focused amendment that does defer appropriately to the legislature.”
Trulieve is providing initial seed money to the tune of $5 million to get the campaign off the ground. But the company’s CEO Kim Rivers said that they expect other industry stakeholders to get involved on the financial side of the campaign as well.
While Florida voters approved a medical cannabis constitutional amendment in 2016, subsequent attempts to place broader legalization on the ballot have been rejected by the state Supreme Court, which has ruled that the language of proposed measures by Make It Legal Florida and Sensible Florida were misleading, invalidating them.
“Every initiative has provided some level of learning,” Rivers told the News Service of Florida. “With this initiative, the authors have taken a hard look at the Supreme Court rulings surrounding the previous efforts and taken that into consideration. We believe it’s a very appropriate and narrowly focused amendment that does defer appropriately to the legislature.”
Jaeger, Kyle. “New Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative Filed for 2024 Ballot, with Backing of State’s Largest Medical Cannabis Company.” Marijuana Moment, 8 Aug. 2022, https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-florida-marijuana-legalization-initiative-filed-for-2024-ballot-with-backing-of-states-largest-medical-cannabis-company/