Florida approves medical marijuana

by Reid Wilson - 11/08/16 8:44 PM ET

Florida voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

With two-thirds of the ballots counted, 71 percent of Florida voters backed Amendment 2. The Associated Press called the race about half an hour after the last polls closed in the state.

{mosads}The result comes two years after another constitutional amendment fell short of the 60 percent threshold necessary to pass.

Florida will be the 26th state to allow marijuana for medical use. Voters in Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota are also voting Tuesday on whether to allow marijuana for medical use.

“This is a major tipping point: With Florida’s decision, a majority of states in the U.S. now have laws allowing patients to find relief with medical marijuana, and these protections and programs are no longer concentrated in certain regions of the country like the West and Northeast,” said Tom Angell, chairman Marijuana Majority, which works in states across the country.

Supporters relied heavily on John Morgan, the wealthy trial lawyer who spent $2.6 million advocating for Amendment 2. Opponents, led by longtime Republican donor Mel Sembler, attracted a $1.5 million donation from Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate who has funded efforts to stop the marijuana liberalization movement across the country.

Tags Florida