Florida amendment to legalize recreational marijuana falls short

An effort to legalize the use of recreational marijuana in Florida has failed at the ballot box, NBC News projects.

Despite endorsements running the gamut from the Florida Democratic Party to former President Donald Trump, Amendment 3, which would have legalized the recreational use and manufacturing of marijuana in the state, failed to get the 60% voter support needed to pass a state constitutional amendment.

State law currently allows the use of marijuana for medical purposes if a doctor deems it necessary during the course of treatment for illnesses such as glaucoma, cancer and epilepsy. Florida voters expanded eligibility for medical use in a successful 2016 statewide vote.

For the foreseeable future, however, recreational use of the drug will remain illegal in Florida.

The amendment’s downfall is a success for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a vocal opponent of the measure. In press conferences and media interviews, the Republican governor warned voters against approving the measure.

In an appearance on Fox News with prominent conservative media personality Sean Hannity in May, for example, DeSantis cautioned voters against supporting Amendment 3, saying he thought legalization would come with a high potential for public nuisance.

“It would be everywhere. The state would smell like it. We don’t need that in Florida,” DeSantis said of the drug, also urging voters to reject Amendment 4, which would enshrine Roe-era reproductive health protections in the Florida Constitution.

Trump, for his part, became a public supporter of the measure despite DeSantis’ strong opposition.

A Florida voter himself, Trump signaled his support in September, with the caveat that the nascent industry must have “smart regulations.”

“As a Floridian, I will be voting YES on Amendment 3 this November,” the former president wrote in a post on his social media site Truth Social.