Florida Cannabis Legalization Support Hits Majority, But May Fall Short for Ballot Measure

A new poll reveals a narrow majority of Florida voters support legalizing recreational marijuana, but the numbers suggest an uphill battle for the cannabis legalization initiative to meet the state’s 60% vote threshold when it goes before voters in November.

The USA Today/Ipsos survey found 56% of registered Florida voters plan to vote yes on Amendment 3 to permit adult-use cannabis possession and sales through an expanded legal market. However, the overall adult support was lower at 49%, with 40% opposed and 4% undecided.

To be enacted, the constitutional amendment needs 60% voter approval – a high bar that polls have shown both clearable and challenging based on varying cannabis legalization support levels across the state.

The new results indicate stark partisan and demographic divides. While 69% of Democrats and 63% of independents backed legalization, only 39% of Republican voters supported it. Regional differences also emerged, with central Florida (54%) more cannabis-friendly than the north (49%) and south (38%).

White voters (55%) were nearly twice as likely as Hispanic voters (32%) to favor legalization in this latest poll conducted April 5-7 among 949 adults including 369 Republicans, 264 Democrats and 316 independents.

If passed, Amendment 3 would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana from licensed dispensaries. Florida’s billion-dollar medical cannabis market would expand into recreational sales as well.

The multi-million dollar campaign promoting the ballot measure had previously pointed to older polls showing higher support, like a 67% approval rate in November 2023 and over 70% in spring 2022 and 2023 surveys.

However, explicitly providing details of the proposed cannabis legalization framework – rather than just gauging general support – appears to have dampened enthusiasm somewhat based on the latest data.

As both sides ramp up efforts to sway voters ahead of the November election, the conflicting polling highlights the uncertainty around whether Florida’s cannabis legalization initiative will achieve the required supermajority when all is said and done.