Florida Voters Back Legalization, But Amendment 3 Falls Short of Required Threshold

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida voters delivered a clear but incomplete victory for adult-use cannabis reform in the November 2024 general election, with a majority supporting Amendment 3 but not enough to amend the state constitution.

Preliminary results from the Florida Division of Elections showed that roughly 56 percent of voters cast ballots in favor of Amendment 3, a proposal that would have legalized the possession, purchase, and recreational use of marijuana for adults aged 21 and older. However, the measure failed to reach the 60 percent super-majority required under Florida law to enact a constitutional amendment, meaning the state will continue to prohibit adult-use cannabis for now.

Amendment 3, formally titled the “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” initiative, generated significant public interest and debate in the months leading up to the ballot. If approved, the change would have allowed Floridians to possess up to three ounces of cannabis and five grams of concentrate and permitted existing medical marijuana treatment centers to sell adult-use products.

Supporters of the measure pointed to its broad appeal across demographic and geographic lines. Campaign leaders highlighted polls indicating that a majority of Floridians favored legalization, with public opinion often surpassing the threshold needed for simple majority support. Advocates also said legalization would help curb the illicit market, ensure regulated product safety, and generate substantial tax revenue for the state—projections once estimated at more than $400 million annually from adult-use sales.

Despite those arguments and a high-profile campaign, Amendment 3’s failure underscored the difficulty of meeting Florida’s stringent adoption threshold. Constitutional amendments in the state require a 60 percent affirmative vote—a bar that has tripped up cannabis proposals in the past, including medical-marijuana initiatives before legalization finally succeeded in 2016.

Political opposition to Amendment 3 was intense and well-funded. Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with allied business and community groups, campaigned vigorously against the proposal, warning that broader legalization could increase unregulated drug use, strain public safety resources, and negatively impact vulnerable populations. Opponents also framed the amendment as disproportionately benefiting large cannabis companies rather than everyday Floridians.

The legislative and political landscape also played a role. Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature did not pass any comprehensive cannabis reform in 2025, leaving ballot initiatives like Amendment 3 as the primary avenue for change. The lack of state-level legislative action reinforced the perception that only voter-driven initiatives could bring meaningful reform.

While the setback is significant, proponents of legalization have signaled that the fight is far from over. The Smart & Safe Florida committee, which sponsored Amendment 3, has already launched a new campaign aimed at qualifying an adult-use cannabis amendment for the 2026 ballot, acknowledging the need for revised language and broader support ahead of the next election cycle.

For now, Florida remains one of the largest U.S. states without legal recreational cannabis, even as the majority of its voters supported the concept. The outcome highlights both the shifting public sentiment on cannabis and the unique challenges posed by constitutional reform in the Sunshine State.

Blog read: How Cannabis Stigma Is Gradually Fading Across Florida