Florida Group Submits Over 218,000 Signatures in Effort to Put Cannabis Legalization Initiative on 2026 Ballot

Smart & Safe Florida has submitted 218,983 valid signatures to the Florida Division of Elections as part of its campaign to place an initiative to legalize marijuana to a public vote in 2026.

This represents nearly 25% of the 880,062 signatures needed by February 2026 to qualify the proposed constitutional amendment for the 2026 general election ballot.

The initiative, officially approved for circulation in January, would allow those 21 and older to possess, purchase, and use marijuana for personal use. It would also authorize Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) to sell to the adult-use market and open the door for additional licenses to be issued to non-medical marijuana businesses. The measure includes limits on possession—capping it at two ounces per adult—and bans smoking or vaping in public places.

As of April, Smart & Safe Florida has raised approximately $20 million to support the campaign. The bulk of this funding has come from major stakeholders in the state’s existing medical marijuana industry, positioning the campaign to run a well-financed effort to collect the remaining signatures and promote the measure statewide.

If ultimately approved by voters, the amendment would become effective six months after passage, bringing Florida into the growing list of states with legal recreational marijuana.

The initiative is modelled after Amendment 3, but with updated language. Amendment 3 received the support of 56% of voters in 2024, but failed to meet the 60% threshold for passage.

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