Floridians will be able to vote in November on whether to remove criminal and civil penalties for people 21 and older who use marijuana, the state Supreme Court has decided.
At least 60% of Floridians must approve it to become law. (The court separately on Monday also allowed a proposed amendment aimed at protecting abortion access onto the 2024 ballot.)
Florida voters previously legalized medical marijuana through a constitutional amendment with 71% of the vote in 2016.
Here is how Florida’s politicians and others are reacting to the news.
Former state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith
Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat and former state representative, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he introduced bills “year after year” to legalize weed for responsible adult use but the Legislature refused to put the legislation up for a vote.
“This November, Florida voters can finally decide for themselves,” he wrote.
Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson
Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson said he disagreed with the court’s decision to allow the amendment on the ballot. In a statement, he said the Chamber will “continue fighting to protect our constitution from out of state and special interests trying to buy their way into Florida’s Constitution.”
“Recreational drugs, like pigs, don’t belong in Florida’s constitution,” he wrote.
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost
Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a progressive member of Congress from Orlando and the first Generation Z candidate to win a Florida U.S. House seat, urged followers on social media to go to the polls come November. “Abortion rights and adult use marijuana are going to be on the ballot this November,” Frost wrote. “There’s so much at stake, we can’t stay home on Nov. 5th.”
Cannabis company Curaleaf
Curaleaf cheered the decision to allow recreational marijuana on the ballot for Florida voters, and said it’s investing in the state, including by opening new stores.
“This has the potential to triple the market size in the state in the coming years,” the company wrote in a post on X.
Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani
Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, called on Floridians to “be ready to vote” because both reproductive rights and recreational cannabis will be on the ballot in November.
Smart & Safe Florida
Smart and Safe Florida, the initiative’s sponsor, tweeted the hashtag #Yeson3, in reference to the pot proposal being designated as Amendment 3 on the ballot.
In a post on X, Smart and Safe Florida said it had polling showing that its campaign is supported by Republicans, Democrats and no-party voters alike.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody
Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody, who had challenged both the marijuana and abortion amendment proposals, said she respects the Supreme Court’s decisions but said, “We have argued from the beginning that these two new constitutional initiatives will mislead voters. We maintain that it will be an uphill battle to educate them.”
This story may be updated.