Florida's Department of State said on February 1, 2026 that Smart & Safe Florida's adult-use marijuana amendment did not qualify for the 2026 ballot, WEAR-TV reported. Nearly 880,000 verified signatures were required and the state counted roughly 784,000 as valid.
State review removed about 200,000 mailed petitions and about 70,000 from non-residents or inactive voters. The campaign called the declaration premature and said final county counts would push it over the requirement. Attorney General James Uthmeier cited alleged petition fraud and sought petitions for a criminal investigation.
Why it matters: Without a ballot measure, Florida's current possession penalties stay in place for now.
Source: WEAR-TV (CBS12 syndication), 2026-02-04. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting.