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An amendment legalizing medical marijuana in Florida fell just short in 2014 and is making a push for 2016, but as Matt Galka tells us, a new group is pushing a recreational marijuana amendment.

The future of marijuana in Florida is shaping up to be a burning question in 2016.  A medical marijuana initiative barely failed just last year, and now a new group is pushing a ballot amendment that would further expand access.

Shannon Stallings is the legal adviser for pro-pot group Floridians for Freedom.  They plan to start circulating petitions for an amendment that would legalize marijuana for recreational use for those 21 and older. She says a recreational amendment could help more people than a narrowly written medical marijuana amendment.

The group says they’d like to see the drug regulated just like alcohol.

“Minors would not be able to have access to it, but adults would be able to use it as they please in their own home, to grow it as they want it or as they need it,” said Stallings

The group says they’re encouraged by the business success of marijuana in Colorado and Washington – where the drug was legalized.

“We’re turning what was just a black market hobby for most people who did it, into a legitimate industry for a legitimate business. We’ve created more than 27 jobs,” said Jill Lane, a grower for Sky High Gardens in Seattle, WA.

Stallings says Colorado and Washington are good examples of thriving economies.

“That’s the thing, I mean always about cannibus there’s been a fear mongering, saying if we let responsible individuals to have this plant, the sky is going to fall. And that has just not proven to be the case,” she said.

Floridians for Freedom is hopeful that a presidential election year could tip the scales in their favor.  If they’re able to get their amendment on the ballot, a big turnout could give them a good shot at passage.

Floridians for Florida needs 67,000 signatures in order for the Supreme Court to review the proposed ballot language. They’d then need more than 600,000 more signatures to get it on 2016’s ballot.