What legalizing recreational marijuana would mean for Florida

A bigger marijuana industry could be headed toward Florida, drawing consumers one day with a larger selection of pot products and services. That’s if the Sunshine State becomes the latest in the U.S. to legalize adults’ recreational use of weed.

Two proposed constitutional amendments now aim to legalize recreational or “adult-use” marijuana in Florida.

And for some consumers, they’d see it as a good development — with more marijuana strains to try and types of products now only available in other states. Florida would join 11 other states, as well as Washington D.C., where recreational marijuana is legal.

There are two petitions filed with the Florida Division of Elections to allow a constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot that would legalize marijuana, and they take different approaches.

The latest petition, filed Aug. 23, comes from activist group “Make It Legal.” It would permit anyone over 21 years to possess, use, purchase, display and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and marijuana accessories for personal use. But it also leaves control of distribution with the state’s licensed medical marijuana treatment centers, which includes its dispensary backer, MedMen. [Read more at South Florida Sun Sentinel]