


Florida voters failed late Tuesday to pass a ballot measure that would have legalized recreational use of marijuana.
A majority of voters supported the measure, known as Amendment 3, but it failed to attract the 60% support needed to take effect.
It was a rare defeat for marijuana legalization. The trend had been heading in the opposite direction, with 24 states and the District of Columbia legalizing use among adults.
The issue split major Florida politicians. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, opposed the measure, saying the smell of pot would be everywhere and the measure was designed to benefit a major cannabis company.
Yet former President Donald Trump, a Florida resident and the GOP presidential nominee, favored it, saying it was time to take a lighter approach to marijuana use.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.