Florida Supreme Court to Deliberate on Cannabis Legalization Ballot Initiative

LOS ANGELES — A contentious ballot initiative that could legalize cannabis for adult use in Florida will be debated in the state’s highest court. The Florida Supreme Court has slated November 8 for oral arguments concerning the proposed measure, as reported by WFLA.

State Attorney General Ashley Moody spearheads opposition to the initiative, asserting that it “misleads” voters. Moody’s contention rests on the belief that the proposal unduly benefits Trulieve, Florida’s preeminent medical cannabis firm.

The summary of the ballot question posits that the initiative would empower “adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption.” Yet, Moody argues that federal law, which designates cannabis possession as illegal, implies that the proposal, even if ratified, “would not actually allow anything.”

Pushing back against Moody’s contentions is Smart and Safe Florida, the organization championing the petition. They describe the Attorney General’s objections as a “thinly veiled policy agenda.”

For the impending oral arguments, representatives from both sides will be granted 20 minutes each to present their perspectives before the Florida Supreme Court. The initiative has already attracted significant support, accumulating over 1,033,000 verified signatures from Floridians.

Historically, the Sunshine State has seen similar cannabis initiatives reach the ballot in both 2014 and 2016. However, neither managed to attain the 60% support necessary to ratify constitutional amendments. It’s noteworthy that in 2021, the Florida Supreme Court dismissed a recreational marijuana initiative, emphasizing that its ballot summary failed to clarify the evident conflict with federal legislation.