United States: Another failed proposal here in Florida was for people to be able to use marijuana recreationally they rejected it even though 55.9 percent of the people surveyed gave their approval the proposal was not able to garner the 60 percent support it required in the state constitution. There are organizations that do not support legalization of Marijuana such as Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
Criticisms of Amendment 3 “was bad for Florida and even worse for Floridians”, said former Sen of the Florida chamber of Commerce David Simmons. “This pro-drug amendment was bad for our kids, bad for our communities, bad for local business and ultimately bad for Florida.”
As reported by the HealthDay, David Culver, the senior vice president of the U.S. Cannabis Council said to the Washington Post that the supermajority threshold demanded by Florida was too much to contend with this election.
“This is not the end in Florida, no, it is only the beginning because now we know why the drive to legalization is so potent in the state’ Culver concluded.
Florida wasn’t the only state to say no to recreational marijuana this election: However, the Post noted that voters in North Dakota and South Dakota seem to have once more turned their back on similar measures.
At the same time, Nebraskans supported two measures legalizing medical marijuana, but a judge may nullify these outcomes in the coming weeks, the Post said.
Psychedelics, which have been touted by some as a potential treatment for depression and other mental health issues, also took a hit in the polls: Voters in Massachusetts turned down a proposition that sought to legalise plant psychedelics like magic mushrooms for treatment purposes. The Post reported that Oregon and Colorado have already passed such law.
Currently, the use of marijuana, for fun, is legal in 24 states and Washington DC, due to changes in perceptions regarding marijuana. Gallup polling in the last year said that an all-time high of 70 percent of voters support marijuana legalization.
Marijuana is still prohibited at the federal level but the Biden administration is currently considering certain policy changes and amendments, but the opponents lament that new marijuana derivatives have elevated risks to the developing brain of youths and the propensity for addiction.