Florida Moves Forward with Recreational Marijuana Initiative
Florida’s election officials have taken a crucial step towards putting a proposed initiative to legalize recreational marijuana on the 2026 ballot. The decision comes after a complaint was filed with the Florida Supreme Court by the campaign behind the issue, Smart & Safe Florida, alleging that officials in Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration were attempting to block the measure from reaching the ballot.
In response, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd filed a legal brief arguing that the lawsuit is now moot and should be dismissed, following the submission of the proposed ballot amendment to the state’s attorney general and a formal letter to Smart & Safe Florida. This marks official confirmation that the campaign has collected the necessary voter petitions to qualify for the ballot, triggering the process for the state Supreme Court to review the proposed amendment language.
According to state law, these steps are required to advance the issue to the ballot. The move is seen as a significant victory for the campaign, which has been working to put the issue before Florida voters. With this development, the proposed initiative is now one step closer to being added to the 2026 ballot, where it will be subject to voter approval.
