Florida Amendment 3: Recreational marijuana backers reflect on election loss

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Updated  November 6, 2024 9:12pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Amendments require approval of 60% of voters

A clear majority of voters supported two amendments to the Florida Constitution on Tuesday while rejecting four.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Some Florida law enforcement are cheering after voters rejected Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana use. However, pot proponents said the fight wasn't over.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey was one of the sheriffs vehemently opposed to the ballot initiative. 

"I think Amendment 3 was a bridge way, way too far," Ivey said. "Overwhelmingly, the Florida sheriffs were against it. There are only two sheriffs I'm aware of that supported it. I'm going to try to have both of them evaluated to make sure they're alright. Anybody can look at the data and see the damage this does to the state."

Not so fast, say Amendment 3 backers. Stephen Reilly, with INSA Cannabis Dispensaries, pointed out that while the amendment did not reach the 60% voting threshold needed to become law, a clear majority of Floridians supported it with 56% approving. 

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"We weren't that far off. From what we've seen is, as the population ages, we tend to gain more support on the issue, so I think in some form we'll be revisiting it in future elections."

Reilly said they’d examine the election loss, and see how they could adjust for the future. He said in the meanwhile, they would focus on their existing medical marijuana business in the state. 

"I think it's premature to say we're going to try this again in two years or four years. I think those will be decisions probably made not even in the coming months. I think we need to see how things progress and focus on the medical market there in Florida."

University of Central Florida professor Aubrey Jewett said Amendment 3 was an expensive proposition, and backers would have to think carefully about how they may reintroduce it in the future.

"It is so expensive and there's no guarantee in the end that you'll win," he explained. "Trulieve spent in the neighborhood of $1 million to get it on the ballot and to promote it, recreational marijuana."

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