Chamber survey shows Marijuana support high, but shy of passage
Pollsters found support just under a 60% threshold with few voters still undecided.
Support for legalizing recreation remains high, but is still shy of the threshold needed to amend Florida’s Constitution.
That’s according to a poll released by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which found 58% of Floridians ready to support Amendment 3 on the November ballot. About 37% of those polled oppose the measure and only 5% remain undecided.
In order for a proposed constitutional amendment to pass, 60% of voters weighing in on the ballot initiative must support it.
Pollsters at Cherry Communications report a margin of error of 4 percentage points, so that puts passage within reach. But taking the results of the poll at face value, supporters of the measure will need to win over nearly half of voters still on the fence in order for the measure to pass.
Of note, the Florida Chamber has taken a stance against the amendment, mostly on the argument that such policy matters don’t belong in the state constitution.
“With 144 amendments since its creation in 1968, Florida’s constitution has long been a target of special interest groups with agendas and recreational marijuana is no different,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson.
“The Florida Chamber continues to lead the fight it has fought for over 20 years against similar proposed amendments that could be addressed legislatively rather than through altering Florida’s foundational document.”
The poll was conducted from April 28 through May 7, and included responses from 609 participants, including 256 Republicans, 223 Democrats and 130 others not registered with either major party.
Amendment 3, called Adult Personal Use of Marijuana on the ballot, has been championed by Smart & Safe Florida. The campaign was originally backed primarily by Trulieve, but reported a $15 million boost from industrywide supporters after the Florida Supreme Court approved ballot language.
The additional financial support came from companies including Verano Holdings, Curaleaf Holdings, AYR Wellness, Cresco Labs, Green Thumb Industries and INSA. That reflects the significant business stake in the measure heading toward Fall.
