Judge backs DeSantis administration, delivers blow to marijuana legalization effort

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

TALLAHASSEE — Siding with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, a Leon County circuit judge on Friday ruled that state officials did not err when ordering supervisors of elections to scrap more than 200,000 petition signatures supporting a proposed constitutional amendment to allow recreational marijuana.

Circuit Judge John Cooper’s ruling wiped out roughly a third of the signatures submitted by the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is backing the proposal. The committee, which faces a Feb. 1 deadline to submit more than 880,000 verified signatures for placement on the 2026 ballot, quickly vowed to appeal the decision.

Related Articles

DeSantis: Plan for oil drilling off Florida coast would ‘weaken protections’

Mattel dipping t