Florida could vote on legalizing recreational marijuana

An amendment to legalize recreational use Since marijuana in the Florida is about to be included in the electoral ballot of the state of 2024. Smart and Safe Floridathe political committee behind it recently submitted more than 294,000 valid petition signatures to the Florida Elections Divisionexceeding the 222,898 required for the state Supreme Court to consider the text of the plebiscite proposal.

If the Supreme Court approves the wording of the amendment, a total of 891,589 signatures will be needed for it to be included in the 2024 election. Floridians could then decide whether or not they want their territory to join those who accept the amendment. recreational use of cannabis.

The amendment would allow adults over the age of 21 to consume marijuana without justifying health reasons – currently in the state it is legal to medicinal cannabis— and establish a regulatory framework for its sale. It would also generate tax revenue for education, health and infrastructure projects. However, the proposal does not allow home cultivation.

Before the amendment can be included in the electoral ballot, the Florida Supreme Court must agree that it is proposing change on a single issue and not misleading voters. In 2021, the court rejected two similar proposals for failing to meet ballot amendment standards.

Activism to fully legalize marijuana in the Florida it has been going on for years, with advocates and lawmakers saying the ban has caused widespread injustice and ruined lives. Proponents of the amendment argue that legalization would help address racial disparities in continued trafficking and end the strategy begun in the 1980s that has become known as the “War on Drugs” in the United States. United.

However, opponents of the amendment warn of the potential negative consequences of legalization, such as increased drug use and impaired driving.

TrulieveFlorida’s largest medical marijuana supplier, initially backed a similar effort by a group called Regulate Floridabut withdrew the funding because that group’s ballot proposal allowed adult use and home cultivation, which could be considered two different topics and be rejected by the judges.

Florida’s push for marijuana legalization is part of a larger trend in the UNITED STATES, with a growing number of states allowing medical and recreational use. Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use, while 36 states have legalized medicinal marijuana. However, it is still classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law, which means it is considered to have no therapeutic value and is illegal.

the republican Greg Steube reintroduced a bill in Congress to reclassify marijuana as a “Schedule III controlled substance,” which would allow researchers to access federal funds to study the medical benefits of its use.

It is expected that the movement for the legalization of marijuana in the Florida to be a controversial and closely watched campaign, with supporters and opponents of legalization bracing for what could be a historic battle.

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