Florida recreational marijuana effort clears crucial hurdle

June 1, 2023
AggregatedNews
Florida
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While it still faces a Florida Supreme Court review and an expected legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, amendment supporters heralded the breakthrough.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida crossed a major hurdle but still faces a likely challenge from the state’s attorney general.

Florida’s Department of State reported that the proposed ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballot in 2024.

The constitutional amendment, proposed by Smart & Safe Florida, gathered 967,528 valid signatures — more than 70,000 above the requirement to reach the ballot. Smart & Safe through April had spent $38.4 million to get the new measure on the ballot — all paid for by medical marijuana giant Trulieve Inc.

While it still faces a Florida Supreme Court review and an expected legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, amendment supporters heralded the breakthrough.

“We are thrilled the campaign has made this milestone and look forward to seeing this initiative on the ballot next November,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said Thursday in a statement.

Moody’s office did not immediately provide a comment in response to a request.

The proposal would allow adults 21 and over to possess up to three ounces of marijuana for personal use. Medical marijuana treatment centers, which were legalized by a statewide referendum in 2016, would be allowed to sell marijuana for recreational use. [Read More @ Politico]

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