There’s a major push to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida.
There’s a petition to get an amendment on the 2020 ballot and it’s now under supreme court review after getting enough signatures.
Make It Legal Florida, a political action committee, filed the petition.
They have more than 400,000 signatures.
They want to give adults who are 21 years old and older access to recreational marijuana.
The chairman said it will boost the economy.
"It will create not only jobs and a better economic outcome through tax revenues but we will make happier and healthier lives for those who have the ability to purchase it in a regulated safe dispensary," said Nick Hansen, the chairman of Make It Legal Florida.
However, Nick Garulay with My Florida Green said there’s not enough product or dispensaries for both medical and recreational use, which will ultimately hurt patients who need the medicine.
“I personally feel it’s a selfish move to allow recreational happen when we haven’t really ironed out the medical program,” said Garulay.
He said there’s a shortage of smokable and other medical marijuana products right now.
Darby Neil said she uses medical marijuana to help with her migraines. She’s concerned that if recreational marijuana is legalized, she will have trouble getting the medicine she needs.
“I’m worried about if it passes. If I go to a dispensary to get something for my migraine and I’m relying on that medicine, I might lose it to someone who just wants to get high and is buying it for the fun of it,” said Neil.
Two things need to happen in order for this to be on the 2020 ballot.
The state’s supreme court needs to approve the amendment and 766,000 verified signatures on the petition need to be collected by February 1st.
