Florida ballot Amendment 3 could make recreational weed legal. Here's what to know

Just over 1.5 million Floridians have already participated in early voting , either with vote-by-mail ballots or casting their vote in person, for the upcoming primary election on Aug. 20.

Once the Florida primary election is over, voters will turn their attention to the general election , and many already are, as abortion and legalizing recreational marijuana will both be on the ballot.

Amendment 4 , titled Abortion Access , seeks to restrict government interference in access to abortion before viability or when the woman's life is at risk. Meanwhile, Amendment 3 , titled Recreational Marijuana, wants to allow adults 21 years or older to purchase and possess recreational marijuana.

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Smart & Safe Florida proposed this amendment, and nearly $55 million from the state's largest medical marijuana operator, Trulieve, launched it. Attorney John Morgan , who was instrumental in getting medical marijuana legalized , has endorsed the amendment. If it passes, Florida would become the 25th state to legalize marijuana for fun rather than just medical use.

In a survey of likely Florida voters from the University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research Lab released this week, 64% were in favor of recreational marijuana. But Gov. Ron DeSantis, other GOP leaders, police groups around the state and the Florida Sheriffs Association oppose it. DeSantis launched Florida Freedom Fund , a group partly devoted to funding opposition to Amendment 3 , chaired by the governor's chief of staff, James Uthmeier.

Supporters say making it legal would remove some of the power of Central American drug cartels, decrease gang violence, ease the workloads and expense of law enforcement and the justice system, ensure that marijuana users have a safe, regulated product, and bring in potentially hundreds of millions in tax revenue for the state.

Critics say it would increase criminal activity, traffic accidents, homelessness and hospitalizations. DeSantis has said the measure would be "bad for quality of life" because "this state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns."

Here's what to know about Florida's Amendment 3 and recreational marijuana.

What is Florida's Amendment 3?

Florida's Amendment 3 would make it legal for adults 21 and older to have up to 3 ounces of marijuana and up to 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. It would also enable them to possess, purchase and use marijuana products and accessories without needing a medical marijuana card, as is the case now.

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What does voting yes on Amendment 3 mean?

Voting yes to Florida Amendment 3 would legalize the use and possession of marijuana for recreational purposes for anyone 21 years old and older.

What does voting no on Amendment 3 mean?

Voting no to Florida Amendment 3 would keep recreational marijuana illegal.

Is weed legal in Florida?

Yes, but also no.

Medical marijuana is legal but requires a person to obtain a Medical Marijuana Authorization, which is outlined in Chapter 381 in Florida Statutes.

Medical marijuana was adopted by Florida voters back in 2016 by a vote of 71% to 29%.

How do I get a medical marijuana card in Florida?

Applying for a medical marijuana card in Florida is a simple process, but there are a few requirements. All patients must be 21 years old or older.

Patients need to see and be diagnosed by a physician who has completed the required training in order to qualify for a card.

OMMU provides a list of qualified physicians in Florida on its website, and several locations specialize in diagnosing patients.

When speaking to a physician, they will be looking for qualifying medical conditions such as:

• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Crohn's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Medical conditions of the same kind, class or comparable to the others listed
• A terminal condition is diagnosed by a physician other than the qualified physician issuing the physician certification.
• Chronic nonmalignant pain caused by a qualifying medical condition or that originates from a qualifying medical condition and persists beyond the usual course of that qualifying medical condition.

If a physician diagnoses a patient with a qualifying condition, they will issue a medical marijuana certificate and enter the patient's info into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry.

The OMMU will send the patient two emails that contain their username and a temporary password that will be used to apply for the Registry Identification Card.

Once the patient has been approved for the card, they can purchase a pre-determined "dispensable amount" of products from licensed medical marijuana treatment centers right away. A physical card will be mailed to the patient.

How is recreational weed different from medical weed?

It's all in the name. Recreational use of weed is when the user isn't seeking any of the medical benefits cannabis is said to have. Medical weed is often sought after for its medicinal uses and may contain more amounts of cannabidiol, which is the active ingredient in cannabis that doesn't cause any sense of euphoria and is nonaddictive.

In practice, however, there is effectively no consistent difference between recreational and medical marijuana weed, and the real difference comes down to the legality of obtaining the drug.

The FDA doesn't regulate medical weed, which is instead regulated by the states where it's sold. There are no approved doses or formulations of medical cannabis for specific health conditions, according to GoodRX Health .

Florida's Amendment 3 text

Here's a look at the full Amendment 3 text:

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida ballot Amendment 3 could make recreational weed legal. Here's what to know