2024 Florida Amendment 3

Florida Amendment 3^[1] was a proposed constitutional amendment to the Florida Constitution subject to a direct voter referendum on November 5, 2024, that would have legalized cannabis for possession, purchase, and recreational use in Florida for adults 21 years or older. The amendment achieved a majority 56% support among voters in the U.S. state of Florida but failed to reach the 60% supermajority required for adoption.^[2]

2024 Florida Amendment 3

November 5, 2024
Adult Personal Use of Marijuana
Outcome	Amendment not adopted (failed to reach 60% threshold)
Results
Choice Votes  % Yes 5,950,589 55.90% No 4,693,524 44.10% Valid votes 10,644,113 96.73% Invalid or blank votes 360,096 3.27% Total votes 11,004,209 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 13,949,168 78.89%
County results Yes   60–70%   50–60% No   60–70%   50–60%

This bill was largely sponsored by current medical cannabis companies that aim to expand the state's cannabis economy. The amendment does not address home-growing or possession, unless in the container from the approved store.

History

The initiative was registered with authorities around August 2022 for signature collection and assigned initiative number 22-05. To qualify for the ballot, 891,589 valid signatures were required. By December 1, 2022, it had gotten 53,982 signatures.^[3] With 294,037 validated signatures by early 2023, an automatic state supreme court legal review was triggered.^[4][5] 635,961 signatures were validated by the Florida Secretary of State as of April 4,^[6] and there were 841,130 validated signatures by May 1.^[7] Around June 1, the Florida Division of Elections validated 967,528 signatures – enough for the measure to qualify for the 2024 ballot.^[8][9] The Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling on April 1, 2024 approving the amendment for placement on the November general ballot.^[10]

Content

The ballot summary for the amendment stated the following:^[11]

Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.

The financial impact statement for the amendment stated the following:

The amendment’s financial impact primarily comes from expected sales tax collections. If legal today, sales of non-medical marijuana would be subject to sales tax and would remain so if voters approve this amendment. Based on other states’ experiences, expected retail sales of non-medical marijuana would generate at least $195.6 million annually in state and local sales tax revenues once the retail market is fully operational, although the timing of this occurring is unclear. Under current law, the existing statutory framework for medical marijuana is repealed six months after the effective date of this amendment which affects how this amendment will be implemented. A new regulatory structure for both medical and nonmedical use of marijuana will be needed. Its design cannot be fully known until the legislature acts; however, regulatory costs will probably be offset by regulatory fees. Other potential costs and savings cannot be predicted.

Support and opposition

Yes

Executive branch officials

• Donald J. Trump, President of the United States (2017–2021, 2025-present) (Republican)^[12][13]

U.S. Representatives

• Lois Frankel, U.S. Representative from FL-22^[a] (2013–present) (Democrat)^[14]

State legislators

• Joe Gruters, state senator (2018–present) and former chair of the Republican Party of Florida (2019–2023) (Republican)^[15]
• Shevrin Jones, state senator (2020–present) (Democrat)^[16]
• Jason Pizzo, state senator (2018–present) (Democrat)^[17]
• Bobby Powell, state senator (2016–present) (Democrat)^[18]

Sheriffs

• Morris Young, sheriff of Gadsden County (Democrat)^[19]
• Gordon Smith, sheriff of Bradford County (Republican)^[20]

Local officials

• Donna Deegan, mayor of Jacksonville (2023–present) (Democrat)^[21]
• Daniella Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade County (2020–present) (Democrat)^[22]

Individuals

• The Bellamy Brothers^[23]
• John Morgan, lawyer and founder of Morgan & Morgan (Independent)^[24]
• Dave Portnoy, businessman and founder of Barstool Sports^[25]
• Roger Stone, political consultant to Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign (Republican)^[26]
• Jeff Roe, Republican political consultant (Republican)^[27]
• Ricky Williams, former professional football player^[28]

Organizations

• Florida Democratic Party^[29]
• Libertarian Party of Florida^[30]
• Florida Young Republicans^[31]
• Florida Alliance for Retired Americans^[32]
• American Civil Liberties Union of Florida^[33]
• Trulieve, medical cannabis company^[34]

Labor unions

• SEIU Florida^[35]

No

Statewide officials

• Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida (2019–present) (Republican)^[36]
• Casey DeSantis, First Lady of Florida (2019–present) (Republican)^[37]
• Manny Díaz Jr., Education Commissioner of Florida (2022–present) (Republican)^[38]
• Joseph Ladapo, Surgeon General of Florida (2021–present)^[37]
• Jeanette Nuñez, Lieutenant Governor of Florida (2019–present) (Republican)^[39]

U.S. senators

• Rick Scott, U.S. Senator from Florida (2019–present) (Republican)^[40]

U.S. representatives

• Byron Donalds, FL-19 (2021–present) (Republican)^[41]
• Neal Dunn, Fl-02 (2017–present) (Republican)^[42]
• Matt Gaetz, FL-01 (2017–present) (Republican)^[43]

State legislators

• Ben Albritton, state senator (2018–present) (Republican)^[44]
• Ileana Garcia, state senator (2020–present) (Republican)^[45]
• Sam Garrison, state representative (2020–present) (Republican)^[46]
• Jonathan Martin, state senator (2022–present) (Republican)^[47]
• Daniel Perez, state representative (2018–present) (Republican)^[44]
• Joel Rudman, state representative (2022–present) (Republican)^[48]

Sheriffs

• Michelle Cook, sheriff of Clay County (Republican)^[17]
• Grady Judd, sheriff of Polk County (Republican)^[37]
• Wayne Ivey, sheriff of Brevard County (Republican)^[49]
• Bill Leeper, sheriff of Nassau County (Republican)^[17]
• T. K. Waters, sheriff of Jacksonville (Republican)^[17]

Local officials

• Esteban Bovo, Mayor of Hialeah (Republican)^[50]

Individuals

• Ben Shapiro, commentator^[51]

Organizations

• Florida Sheriffs Association^[52]
• Republican Party of Florida^[53]

Polling

A 60% supermajority vote is required for the amendment to be approved.

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[b]	Margin of error	For[c]	Against	Undecided
Stetson University[54]	October 25 – November 1, 2024	452 (LV)	± 5.0%	64%	36%	–
Florida Atlantic University/Mainstreet Research	October 19–27, 2024	913 (RV)	± 3.2%	60%	34%	6%
Emerson College[A]	October 18–20, 2024	860 (LV)	± 3.3%	60%	34%	6%
Cherry Communications (R)[B]	October 10–20, 2024	614 (LV)	± 4.3%	57%	?	?
University of North Florida	October 7–18, 2024	865 (LV)	± 3.49%	66%	30%	4%
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy	October 1–4, 2024	625 (RV)	± 4.0%	58%	35%	7%
Public Policy Polling (D)[C]	September 25–26, 2024	808 (RV)	± 3.5%	58%	35%	7%
Victory Insights (R)	September 22–25, 2024	600 (LV)	± 4.4%	54%	29%	17%
Cherry Communications (R)[B]	August 15–26, 2024	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	59%	?	?
Public Policy Polling (D)[C]	August 21–22, 2024	837 (RV)	± 3.4%	57%	34%	9%
Florida Atlantic University/Mainstreet Research	August 10–11, 2024	1,055 (RV)	± 3.0%	56%	29%	15%
Suffolk University/USA Today	August 7–11, 2024	500 (LV)	± 4.4%	63%	33%	3%
The Tyson Group[D]	July 2024	1,500 (LV)	± 2.53%	64%	27%	9%
University of North Florida	July 24–27, 2024	774 (LV)	± 4.6%	64%	31%	5%
Beacon Research (D)/Shaw & Company Research (R)[E]	June 1–4, 2024	1,075 (RV)	± 3%	66%	32%	2%
Cherry Communications (R)[B]	April 28 – May 7, 2024	609 (LV)	± 4.0%	58%	37%	5%
Florida Atlantic University/Mainstreet Research	April 15–17, 2024	865 (A)	± 3.3%	47%	35%	18%
USA Today/IPSOS	April 5–7, 2024	1,014 (A)	± 4.1%	56%	40%	4%
The Tyson Group[D]	February 2024	1,764 (LV)	± 2.33%	65%	22%	13%
University of North Florida	November 6–26, 2023	716 (RV)	± 4.37%	67%	28%	5%

Notes

1. Numbered as the 22nd from 2013–2017 & as the 21st from 2017–2023
2. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
3. 60% approval is required for a Florida constitutional amendment

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by Nexstar Media
2. Poll sponsored by the Florida Chamber of Commerce
3. Poll sponsored by Clean and Prosperous America PAC
4. Poll sponsored by Vote No on 3
5. Poll sponsored by Fox News

See also

• 2024 Florida Amendment 4
• 2024 United States ballot measures
• List of 2024 United States cannabis reform proposals