MIAMI - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to tighten up the ballot initiative process after marijuana and abortion amendments failed to pass on November's general election ballot.
Amendment 3 (marijuana) and Amendment 4 (abortion) received 55.7% and 57%, respectively from voters. The measures needed 60% approval under Florida's Constitution to pass.
By rejecting Amendment 3 specifically, Florida voters showed they weren't ready to embrace recreational marijuana, despite the measure being backed by President Trump, who is overwhelmingly popular in the state.
Maybe they didn't want the state to turn into a Cheech and Chong Movie or see Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High riding waves and smelling of weed on Miami Beach.
"Let's Party" Spicoli (likely high) said in the iconic 1982 film.
However, Floridians aren't all "against the smoke." Or living with a 1920s mindset when marijuana was banned in the United States.
Instead, they see a productive alternative.
Voters overwhelmingly support cannabis-based therapies for medical purposes, including the plant's therapeutic benefits for the sick or unwell.
Medical marijuana was legalized in Florida with 71% of the vote in 2016. 47 states also allow medicinal use as of February 2024.
With it approved, medical marijuana companies are providing innovative cannabis-based solutions to patients across Florida. With a focus on health and wellness, providers are using cannabis to manage chronic conditions involving pain, anxiety, and other debilitating symptoms.
Unlike recreational weed, which is often stigmatized, the use of medical marijuana is rooted heavily in scientific and patient success. As an example, high concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), are increasingly found in products for its anti-inflammatory and calming properties.
One company, Surterra, is leading the way in CBD-rich therapies. Their approach allows patients to experience the medicinal benefits of cannabis without the "high" associated with THC.
Is Surterra's innovative approach the future of cannabis in Florida?
Unlike recreational weed, which is used heavily amongst youth (18-25), CBD products are popular with seniors with arthritis and veterans managing PTSD - and everyone in between. This isn't just your father's weed at Woodstock anymore, CBD companies are creating health-based cannabis alternatives for its growing demand.
As proven, Florida voters sided with health-driven medical marijuana in 2016 and rejected its recreational counterpart in 2024. CBD could be the way of the future, something no one was arguing about just last year with Amendment 3.
