The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday about a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana by people ages 21 and older.
The Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is leading the initiative, needs the Supreme Court to sign off on the proposed ballot wording before the measure can go before voters next November.
The proposal has drawn opposition from Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Both sides will have 20 minutes to make their case.
The Supreme Court reviews ballot initiatives to make sure they are not confusing to voters and address single subjects.
The Smart & Safe Florida committee, which is backed by Trulieve, the state’s largest medical marijuana operator, has submitted enough valid petition signatures to get on the ballot. The minimum was 891,000. The committee collected over 1 million signatures.
Those signatures don’t necessarily represent support for the effort -- just the number of people who would like the chance to vote on whether recreational marijuana should be legal in Florida.
The proposed ballot summary, in part, says the measure would allow “adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories” for non-medical consumption.
If the initiative does go before voters, it would need 60% approval in order to amend the state constitution.
RELATED: Ohio votes to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, becoming 24th state to do so
Ohio voters approved a measure legalizing recreational marijuana on Tuesday, defying Republican legislative leaders who had failed to pass the proposed law.
Passage of Issue 2 makes Ohio the 24th state to allow adult cannabis use for non-medical purposes.
“Marijuana is no longer a controversial issue,” said Tom Haren, spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. “Ohioans demonstrated this by passing State Issue 2 in a landslide. Ohioans are being extremely clear on the future they want for our state: adult-use marijuana legal and regulated.”
The new law will allow adults 21 and over to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and to grow plants at home. A 10% tax will be imposed on purchases, to be spent on administrative costs, addiction treatment, municipalities with dispensaries and social equity and jobs programs supporting the industry itself.