Recreational Marijuana

The committee behind the proposed constititional amendment filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Secretary of State Cord Byrd and his office to “comply with their statutory obligations.”

The political committee says the initiative meets legal requirements to go before voters, refuting opponents' arguments, including their contention the ballot text is misleading.

A judge’s split ruling on a ballot measure triggered appeals from both sides, as deadlines loom over disputed petition signatures from inactive voters and out-of-state gatherers.

The state urges a judge to reject a lawsuit challenging directives that invalidated tens of thousands of petition signatures for a proposed ramendment, citing fraud prevention and voter inactivity.

The Florida Supreme Court will make a decision on whether the proposed recreational constitutional amendment meets legal tests to go on the November ballot.

In the latest battle over marijuana legalization, Smart & Safe Florida alleges in a lawsuit that Secretary of State Cord Byrd improperly directed county election supervisors to invalidate about 71,000 petitions.

"Alligator Alcatraz." Guns. Social media. Legal battles about those and myriad other issues remain unresolved heading into 2026. Here are 10 big legal issues to watch for.

The step sets the stage for a judicial review of the ballot initiative seeking to legalize recreational pot. Justices will hear oral arguments on Feb. 5, according to a schedule posted on court's website.

Lawyers for the Smart & Safe Florida committee said they were waiving the right to appeal Leon County Judge John Cooper's ruling “to provide finality to this matter and certainty to the result.”

Despite the rise in use, seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder has become less common. Experts say this is partly due to the misconception that marijuana is safe and nonaddictive.

On "Florida Matters Live & Local," the conversations cover conserving resources, navigating neighborhood shifts and revisiting ballot battles.

The ruling wiped out roughly a third of the signatures submitted by the political committee backing the proposed constitutional amendment to allow recreational marijuana.