Support for legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida is still strong – but not enough, and it appears to be weakening.
Medical marijuana and low-THC cannabis is available in Florida to qualified patients, after state voters supported medical legalisation in 2016 by a vote of 71% to 29%
But recreational possession and use is still illegal. While Amendment 3 on last November’s ballot garnered 55.9% “yes” votes, it did not achieve the 60% “supermajority” vote required to pass. Had it passed, it would have legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older who would have been allowed to possess up to three ounces of marijuana, with up to five grams in the form of concentrate. Existing Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (dispensaries) in the state would have been authorized to sell marijuana to adults for personal use.
Since that time, support for legalization seems to have dropped off a little according to a recent Florida Chamber of Commerce poll, conducted February 2 – 8, 2025 among 600 likely voters statewide. It found 53% supported legalization, the sixth consecutive poll the Chamber has carried out indicating less than 60% threshold required for passage.
The Chamber notes the result comes despite more than USD $150 million being spent to try and pass the amendment during the 2024 election.
“This failure to build momentum for the amendment in polling displays that the more voters learn about legalizing recreational marijuana, the less they like what they learn.”
It’s worth noting that Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, was last year urging Floridians to vote no on Amendment 3 and the Chamber also set up a website detailing its own opposition as an organization.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is also opposed to legalization, and in relation to Amendment 3, said it would have resulted in a free-for-all situation. He was confident Amendment 3 would fail.
“It’s basically a license to have it anywhere you want,” he said. “So no time, place and manner restrictions. This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns.”
In other recent related news out of Florida, State Senator Joe Gruters (R) introduced Senate Bill 552 recently that aims to make a number of amendments to the state’s medical marijuana laws.
Among them, it would build on the list of qualifying conditions to allow for those similar to conditions on the list; including patients with any condition that has resulted in them being prescribed a Schedule II opioid. Senator Gruters also recently refiled a bill (SB 546) that would allow certain qualified patients to apply to cultivate up to two cannabis plants at home for personal consumption.
