Florida Adult-Use Cannabis Amendment Falls Short of Ballot Threshold

Florida's latest attempt to legalize adult-use cannabis through a constitutional amendment has failed to collect enough signatures to reach the ballot, according to the Florida Department of State.

The campaign needed to submit 880,062 valid voter signatures by Sunday's deadline to qualify for the 2024 ballot. State officials confirmed the initiative fell short of that threshold, marking another setback for legalization advocates in a state where medical cannabis has been legal since 2016.

The failure comes despite Florida's proven track record of cannabis ballot initiatives. In 2016, voters approved medical marijuana with 71% support after a similar measure narrowly failed in 2014. But constitutional amendments in Florida require signatures from 8% of voters who cast ballots in the previous presidential election—one of the highest bars in the nation.

Why This Campaign Struggled

Signature collection campaigns typically cost millions of dollars, requiring paid canvassers to gather hundreds of thousands of verified voter signatures across a state of 22 million people. The petition drive must also navigate Florida's notoriously strict verification process, where signatures can be invalidated for minor discrepancies.

This isn't the only adult-use legalization effort in Florida this year. Smart & Safe Florida, a separate campaign backed by Trulieve Cannabis Corp., has been running a parallel petition drive with significantly more funding. That campaign has not yet announced whether it met the signature threshold.

Trulieve, Florida's largest medical marijuana operator, has poured over $40 million into Smart & Safe Florida's efforts according to recent campaign finance reports. The company operates 127 dispensaries statewide and would stand to benefit substantially from adult-use legalization.

The Florida Market Stakes

Florida's medical cannabis market generated $1.6 billion in sales in 2023, making it one of the largest state programs in the country. Industry analysts have projected an adult-use market could reach $6 billion annually within five years of legalization.

But the state's vertical integration model—which requires companies to grow, process, and sell their own products—has created high barriers to entry. Only 25 companies currently hold licenses to operate in Florida, with the largest operators controlling the majority of market share.

What Happens Next

Even if Smart & Safe Florida's campaign succeeded in gathering enough signatures, the amendment would still need to clear 60% voter approval in November—a higher threshold than most states require. Florida Republicans, who control the state legislature, have historically opposed adult-use legalization despite public polling showing majority support.

The signature deadline means any successful campaign would appear on the November 2024 ballot alongside the presidential election, potentially driving higher turnout among younger voters who tend to support legalization.

For now, Florida's 800,000-plus medical marijuana patients remain the only legal adult cannabis consumers in the state. The program requires a physician recommendation and registration fee, barriers that legalization advocates argue prevent many qualified patients from accessing cannabis.

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This article is based on original reporting by ganjapreneur.com.