Recreational Marijuana

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.

Elections officials sent the proposed constitutional amendment to the attorney general and advised Smart & Safe Florida that the measure was headed to the Florida Supreme Court for review.

The order means campaigns to expand Medicaid and legalize recreational pot will largely have to operate under the new restrictions as they try to gather enough signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot.

The contributions during the first three months of 2025 went to the Smart & Safe Florida committee, which is gathering signatures to get a revised constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot.

The revamped proposal from the Smart & Safe Florida committee seeks to address issues raised by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who led a drive to defeat last year’s constitutional measure.

From back-to-back hurricanes to the twists and turns of the U.S. presidential election, there’s been a lot to keep up with in 2024.