Disappointment and Relief Sweep South Florida After the Defeat of Amendment 3

Amendment 3, which sought to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Florida, failed to meet the 60% threshold required for constitutional amendments in the state. 

Had it passed, Amendment 3 would have made Florida the 25th state to legalize recreational marijuana, joining 24 other states and the District of Columbia where marijuana is legal for adult use. 

The ballot measure showed 55.9% of voters supporting the amendment and 44.1% opposed it. Despite a majority in favor, the proposed amendment fell short by a narrow margin. Under Florida law, constitutional amendments must receive at least 60% of the vote to be enacted. 

One citizen who voted yes was Daisy Barre, a barista in Deerfield Beach who has a medical card and believes the state should have legalized recreational marijuana. In her view, the idea of marijuana being illegal is "outdated."

"It's definitely disappointing because you were to think that something like that was to change. Like now it's 2024, and we have so many benefits, and I don't see why people don't agree with it," Barre said.

Many who voted yes on Amendment 3 were outraged by the 60% threshold and believed it was unfair, given that the majority voted yes.

Dr. Robert Watson, a professor of American History at Lynn University in Boca Raton, explained why the amendment did not pass even with a majority vote and the significance of the 60% threshold in Florida. 

"In Florida, constitutional amendments need 60% of the vote. In some other states, it's a simple majority or 55%. Some of these amendments that failed did get over 50%, just not 60%," Watson explained.

Another advocate for legalized recreational marijuana is Shyiem Dick-Callender, who goes by "Shy" and works as a sales associate at a medical marijuana dispensary. He argued that recreational marijuana would be beneficial to already-existing dispensaries because it would expand the economy.

"The benefits of recreational marijuana would be that it would stimulate the economy. More business equals more demand and more demand equals more job opportunities," Dick-Calendar said. "I don't see how medical marijuana facilities would not benefit if it had passed."

Despite the defeat, advocates of the amendment expressed both disappointment and optimism. The group Smart and Safe Florida, which campaigned in favor of the amendment, stated on Instagram after the results predicting that the decriminalization was a matter of time.

"Tonight, a strong majority of Floridians voted in support of legalizing recreational marijuana for adults. While the results of Amendment 3 did not clear the 60 percent threshold, we are eager to work with the governor and legislators who agree with us on decriminalizing recreational marijuana for adults, addressing public consumption, continuing our focus on child safety, and expanding access to safe marijuana through home grow," the group wrote.

Opponents of the amendment, including those concerned about public health and safety, welcomed its defeat.

John Puls, a licensed clinical social worker and certified addiction professional from Boynton Beach, voiced his concerns about the potential adverse effects of marijuana legalization, particularly regarding mental health. He also criticized the marijuana company Trulieve for donating $150 million to Smart & Safe Florida in the name of big money.

"I do believe this is a good thing. Trulieve, one of the largest cannabis businesses in the entire country, spent $150 million just to pass this," said Puls. "People were misled that this was social justice and related to progress, which it was not."

Puls, who specializes in drug addiction, also highlighted the potential mental health risks associated with marijuana use. 

"Cannabis-induced psychosis and related mental health issues are a crisis," he warned. "This bill did nothing to put warning labels on, limit THC content, or make the products safer. Additionally, the amendment did not include expungement for past cannabis convictions. I am glad that this failed."

But Barre, like the 5.9 million Floridians who voted in favor of legalization, disagrees with this outlook and believes opponents lack research on the benefits of marijuana. 

"I feel like maybe they should educate themselves more on the benefits that you get from using marijuana," she said.