Florida, Massachusetts MJ initiatives move closer to ballot

Two state-level cannabis legalization proposals have moved a big step closer to getting in front of voters next year.

In Florida, United for Care received clearance from the state Supreme Court for a 2016 ballot measure that would legalize medical marijuana. The group nearly succeeded in legalizing medical marijuana in 2014.

The state still has to validate roughly 280,000 more signatures to make sure the initiative qualifies, according to the Miami Herald. The campaign needs a total of 683,149 valid signatures to make the ballot, but United for Care says it has already collected 900,000.

In Massachusetts, meanwhile, the state confirmed that a measure to legalize recreational cannabis next year has enough valid signatures to force the legislature to consider the measure.

If the legislature decides to pass, then the campaign will have to collect another 10,792 signatures to formally make the ballot.

Massachusetts lawmakers have until May 3 to act on the initiative, so it may be another five or six months before it’s certain that voters there will get to weigh in on rec.