Amendment 3 rejected: Floridians defeat ballot initiative for recreational use of marijuana

In addition to working to defeat Amendment 4, which would have loosened abortion restrictions in the state, Florida Baptists also rallied their fellow Floridians to defeat Amendment 3, which sought to legalize adult recreational use of marijuana.

In early September, the State Board of Missions, acting on behalf of the Florida Baptist State Convention, approved a resolution related to Amendment 3, which was on the Nov. 5 statewide ballot. The resolution called on “Florida Baptist pastors to implore their congregations to mobilize and make their voices heard by voting against Amendment 3,” titled “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana.”

Since that time Florida Baptists have done their part to help defeat the amendment legalizing adult recreational use of marijuana.

Stephen Rummage, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, is grateful that the amendment failed. He said, “Recreational drug use of any kind is harmful to children, to teenagers, to adults, to culture, to our state and to our nation. Unfortunately, we’ve been either lulled to sleep or misdirected to think that recreational marijuana use is some kind of harmless thing and that we can open the doors as wide as can be opened for its use. That will only have negative effects in our families, in our communities, in our state. I’m really thankful that Floridians saw the light of day on this and voted to defeat that amendment.”

He also expressed gratefulness for Florida Baptist leaders who took up the mantle to help defeat the amendment.

Aaron Burgner, senior pastor of Lakes Church in Lakeland, and president of Florida Baptists’ State Board of Missions, led the way in the adoption of the resolution urging defeat of the amendment. He said, “We are very grateful that Amendment 3 was voted down. As stated in our resolution that we passed as a State Board of Missions, we believe that recreational use of marijuana isn’t in the best interest of our communities and our children.”

Because 60% of voters were necessary to amend Florida’s constitution regarding adult recreational use of marijuana, the 56% who approved the ballot initiative fell four percentage points short.