asane

FL Amendment 3 legalizing recreational marijuana is designed to fail

Online Niel November 6, 2024

Florida Amendment 3 is projected to fail with 56.9% voting yes. The amendment was sponsored by the state-registered political committee Smart & Safe Florida.

The amendment needed 60 percent of Florida voters to approve and would have gone into effect six months after it was passed.

The amendment would have allowed adults 21 or older to purchase and use marijuana products for recreational use, such as smoking and ingesting. It would also only allow medical marijuana treatment centers to collect, manufacture and sell marijuana products and paraphernalia, meaning Floridians cannot start growing marijuana.

Floridians would have been allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana and 5 grams of marijuana concentrate for recreational use.

This election season, ABC Action News and Scripps News are partnering with Decision Desk HQ to provide the public with timely and accurate election predictions or results.

What is Decision Desk HQ?

Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) launched as an independent provider of election results, race talk and data in 2012. It was the first provider to claim the presidency of former President Donald Trump in 2016 and President Joe Biden in 2020. In 2022, it says DDHQ projected the US Senate, House and Governor races with 100% accuracy.

How does DDHQ work?

DDHQ calls races using technology like data scraping and real people on the ground at polling places. For larger elections, such as presidential elections, DDHQ is strategic in choosing which states and localities to send staff to.

According to Smart & Safe Florida, Amendment 3 would have ensured that public spaces remain smoke-free, enacted laws to prevent smoking in non-designated areas, and allowed for the enforcement and establishment of no-smoking rules.

Dr. Jessica Spencer, with the Vote No on 3 campaign, credited Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with helping to get Amendment 3 defeated.

“We are grateful for the unwavering support of Florida’s governor and first lady, whose conviction, courage and fearlessness … have been unwavering,” Spencer said in a statement.

Smart & Safe Florida said it will continue to work with Governor DeSantis and other lawmakers to address marijuana concerns in the state.

“While the results of Amendment 3 did not clear the 60 percent threshold, we look forward to working with the governor and legislative leaders who agree with us on decriminalizing adult recreational marijuana, addressing public consumption, continuing our focus on child safety, and to expanding access to safe marijuana through home cultivation,” Smart & Safe Florida said in a statement.

This was the language voters saw on the ballots for Amendment 3:

Allows adults 21 years of age or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and paraphernalia for personal non-medical use by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers and other state-licensed entities to purchase, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and paraphernalia. Florida law applies; does not modify or immunize violations of federal law. Set possession limits for personal use. It allows for consistent legislation. Define terms. Gives the effective date.

In the 2016 general election, Amendment 2 was passed by 71.3% of Florida voters to legalize full medical marijuana for qualified patients with conditions such as HIV, PTSD, ALS and other medical conditions. Three years later, the Florida legislature allowed forms of medicinal marijuana that can be smoked along with vaping THC under the program.

Before 2016, low-THC marijuana strains were only allowed for terminally ill patients.