Report: Florida Cannabis Legalization Could Create 100K-Plus Jobs

In Florida alone, cannabis legalization could increase the number of industry jobs in the state to 128,587 by 2025, according to John Kagia, chief knowledge officer of New Frontier Data, High Times reported. 

Florida now has about 17,000 cannabis industry jobs, Kagia said. 

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New Frontier Data conducted a study that concluded that Florida could account for 12% of the nationwide cannabis market by 2025, which is expected to reach nearly $30 billion, according to High Times. 

Two groups are circulating petitions to place ballot questions before Florida voters next year to legalize marijuana posession and private consumption for adults 21 and older. One of the proposals would permit Floridians to grow cannabis at home, according to High Times. 

In March, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a medical marijuana bill into law that allows ill Florida residents to legally consume cannabis.

Florida voters previously approved a state Constitutional amendment to allow medical marijuana in 2016.

The following year, then-Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, signed a law banning cannabis consumption.

"Over 70 percent of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016,” DeSantis said.

“I thank my colleagues in the legislature for working with me to ensure the will of the voters is upheld. Now that we have honored our duty to find a legislative solution, I have honored my commitment and filed a joint motion to dismiss the state’s appeal and to vacate the lower court decision which had held the prior law to be unconstitutional."