Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana for adults in Florida, garnered 55.8% of the vote, falling short of the 60% threshold needed to pass. While the initiative had the support of President-elect Trump, the opposing forces led by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis carried the day. Supporters may draw some comfort from the fact that a clear majority of voters supported legalization, but the fact remains that adult-use cannabis will remain illegal in the Sunshine State for the foreseeable future.
Leaving aside the fact that getting 60% of voters to agree on anything these days appears to be a tall order, Amendment 3 faced active opposition from Florida’s leadership. While themselves driven by a fundamental dislike of cannabis, Gov. DeSantis and his team deftly tapped into concerns that came from different places altogether, such as the lack of provisions for home grow and related concerns over the entrenchment of “Big Weed”.
Looking at the big picture, it is remarkable to see how much Floridians’ attitudes toward cannabis have changed in the past decade. Back in 2014, it was a medical cannabis initiative that fell short of the 60% supermajority requirement. Ten years on, a legal medical marijuana industry is well
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