More info, talk needed before Florida votes on recreational pot

Pardon the pun but there’s a lot of smoke wafting around Amendment 3, which, if made a part of the Florida Constitution, would legalize recreational marijuana.

The Florida Supreme Court approved the language for the ballot question, sending the idea making weed legal along with the controversy surrounding it, on to the voters in November.

Unlike the abortion ballot question, which the court also approved last week, Amendment 3 comes without the history, heated arguments and exchanges that have led to a better understanding of the issue at hand.

The benefits of legalization aren’t clear, other than passage would enrich a burgeoning cannabis industry that has helped raise $40 million to support the initiative.

Many in the medical community still consider marijuana addictive. In the eyes of the federal government, it remains illegal. How Florida copes with passage of a state law that conflicts with that medical view and federal laws remains an open question.

For the sake of voters heading to the polls this November, now is the time for both supporters and opponents of Amendment 3 to step up and make their case. Neither reefer-madness scare tactics nor promises of job creation and revenue will suffice. If there is any ballot initiative that could use illumination, it’s Amendment 3.

The amendment would legalize “non-medical personal use of marijuana products and marijuana accessories by an adult” 21 or older. It would allow possession of up to three ounces with no more than five grams in concentrated form. If approved, Florida would join 23 other states and the District of Columbia where recreational marijuana use is legal. Florida voters approved a similar ballot initiative in 2016 that established medical marijuana in the state. That measure received more than 71 percent of the vote. Polls show the 2024 measure also enjoys wide support.

“We look forward to supporting this campaign as it heads to the ballot this fall, Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, said in a written statement. Trulieve, Florida’s largest medical marijuana operator, is just one of several cannabis firms that helped raise $40 million to get the initiative through the courts and onto the ballots.

Gone are the days of simply slapping some weed in E-Z Wider rolling paper and lighting up — although many still do. Today, marijuana comes in different forms other than the common smokable kind. Edibles, vaping and oils have become popular alternatives, attracting middle-aged adults, seniors and teenagers to consume marijuana.

This clearly isn’t your daddy’s marijuana when it comes to potency. THC, the psychoactive compound that produces the high in marijuana, made up about 5 percent of a typical joint in the 1990s, according to federal Drug Enforcement Agency data. Today, the THC content in smokable marijuana can range anywhere between 15 and 21 percent. The potency of edibles and oils used in vaping is even higher, ranging from 50 to 95 percent.

The higher THC levels combined with the notion that marijuana is relatively harmless when compared to other illicit drugs, can lead to problems. Cannabis-use disorder is indeed a thing, although more study is needed to determine its prevalence. Still, an estimated 16 million Americans had the disorder in 2021, second only to alcohol, according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration data.

“I think it’s a real, real problem, and I think it’s a lot different than stuff that people were using 30 or 40 years ago,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in response to the ruling. “And I think when kids get on that, I think it causes a lot of problems.”

It’s not like Florida’s government leaders didn’t see Amendment 3 coming.

This isn’t the first attempt to change the Florida Constitution to allow for the legalization of recreational marijuana. In 2021, the court rejected two proposed constitutional amendments for recreational marijuana.

This time, though, the court agreed to put the measure on the ballot. That leaves a monumental question to voters who could use better information and more discussion before deciding the state is ready for recreational marijuana.