Medical Marijuana Amendment 2 Falls Short at the Ballot Box

Amendment 2, a proposal to expand medical marijuana use in the Sunshine State, failed to meet the 60 percent threshold to be added to the Florida Constitution. The proposal came up short, reaching 57 percent at the polls.

Tom Angell, the chairman of the Marijuana Majority, said some of the blame falls on Amendment 2s campaign which showcased prominent trial lawyer John Morgan.

"While it's disappointing that patients in Florida won't be able to find legal relief with marijuana just yet, tonight's result does show that a clear majority of voters in the Sunshine State support a new direction, Angell said on Tuesday night. We didn't get the 60 percent needed to pass medical marijuana as a constitutional amendment, but patients and their supporters will keep pushing until the law reflects what most voters want. The campaign this year faced several key challenges, including that it took place during a midterm election in which turnout dynamics don't favor marijuana reform. Next time medical marijuana is on the ballot, organizers should put patients and medical professionals at the forefront of the campaign rather than relying on a well-meaning but much less sympathetic political donor as the chief spokesperson."