Florida asserts ballot initiative will not appear on the ballot in 2026

On February 1, the Florida Department of State released a statement claiming the campaign to legalize cannabis had not submitted enough verified signatures to qualify for the November 2026 ballot. While Smart and Safe Florida submitted 1.4 million signatures, only 783,000 were verified by the state, missing the 880,062 requirement. The campaign will challenge the Department’s findings, questioning the state’s transparency and good faith in this process. 

Meanwhile, the Legislature — which has long been hostile to legalization — is considering some incremental reforms. 

On January 29, the Florida House Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee voted unanimously to advance H 887 to the full House committee. The bill would make a medical cannabis card valid for two years instead of the current one year. It would also drastically reduce the medical cannabis registration fees for honorably discharged veterans, from $75 to $15.

If you live in Florida, ask your legislators to support HB 887!

While several cannabis policy reforms have been proposed this legislative session, so far none have advanced. It’s disappointing that lawmakers are failing to honor the will of most voters, in the aftermath of having almost 56% of voters vote YES on the legalization ballot initiative in 2024. 

Stay tuned for more updates as this legislative session continues. The session ends on March 13, so there is not a lot of time for bills to get through the legislative process.