Florida voters approved a state constitutional amendment allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes – reportedly passing with above the required 60 percent threshold.
With its "yes" vote, Florida will become the first state in the South with a full-scale medical marijuana program, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The amendment inserts language into the Florida Constitution allowing those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy and a host of other conditions to use marijuana if it is recommended by their doctor, the Miami Herald reported.
"It looks like medical cannabis will get more votes tonight than whoever ends up winning the presidential and U.S. Senate races, and that shows just how mainstream this issue has become," said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, told the Times.
Florida was one of nine states that voted on proposals to expand legal access to the drug, which is still prohibited by the federal government, the Times noted.
Opponents have likened the legalization effort to "Big Tobacco," characterizing it as an attempt to prioritize corporate profits over public health, the newspaper reported.
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