Cannabis Advocates Sue DeSantis Administration
Pro-cannabis groups in Florida have filed multiple lawsuits against the administration of Governor Ron DeSantis, specifically targeting the Florida Department of State and its officials. The legal action was filed by the political committee Smart & Safe Florida, alleging that state officials are attempting to block a proposed recreational marijuana legalization amendment from appearing on the 2026 ballot.
Smart & Safe Florida File Suit in Florida Supreme Court
Smart & Safe Florida, the organization advocating for the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state, has filed a lawsuit against the DeSantis administration, accusing officials of deliberately delaying the certification process required to place its proposed amendment on the Florida ballot.
The group wants the Florida Supreme Court to compel the Secretary of State and the Division of Elections to confirm it has collected sufficient signatures to advance. Despite submitting over 660,000 verified petitions — more than triple the required amount — officials have yet to issue the formal acknowledgment.
“It is nonsensical, and contrary to the express constitutional and statutory mandates, to allow the Secretary and Director to indefinitely refuse to issue the… Letter and frustrate the constitutional order,” wrote Tallahassee attorney Glenn Burhan, Jr., Florida Phoenix reported.
The campaign reached the initial 220,016 threshold over the summer and notified state officials, but no response followed.
Election Officials Supposedly Tried to Disqualify Valid Signatures
A previous lawsuit challenged a push by state election officials to remove approximately 200,000 signatures, claiming that some petition forms were invalid because they did not contain the full wording of the amendment. Advocates challenged this interpretation in court.
These legal battles reflect a deeper standoff between Governor DeSantis’s administration, which remains firmly against recreational marijuana legalization, and pro-cannabis advocates determined to let Florida voters decide the issue through a citizen-driven ballot initiative.
Florida’s bid to legalize recreational cannabis went up in smoke during the 2024 November elections. Despite an endorsement from Donald Trump, the effort faced fierce resistance from Governor Ron DeSantis. Amendment 3 sought to legalize the use and production of cannabis statewide but fell short of the 60% threshold required to amend the state constitution. The measure earned 55.89% of the vote — 5,941,251 “yes” ballots — but not enough to cross the finish line. Its defeat marked a political win for DeSantis, who had spent much of the year warning voters that legalization would bring “public nuisance” and other societal drawbacks.
Florida already boasts one of the nation’s most active medical cannabis markets, led by Trulieve Cannabis Corp., the undisputed heavyweight in the state. Analysts often predict that Trulieve would maintain its dominance if adult-use legalization becomes reality. Should recreational sales be approved, Florida’s cannabis market could surge to roughly $5 billion in its first year, unlocking one of the largest new markets in the U.S. industry.
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Stephen Andrews
