Amendment 3: Top Republican backs legal use of recreational marijuana in Florida
Updated: 7:12 PM EDT Aug 8, 2024
Greg Fox
Reporter
Florida voters will decide on Amendment 3 this November, which would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
It's mostly backed by Trulieve, the state's largest medical marijuana dispenser, that's so far raised more than $66 million.
But standing in the way of passage is Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"So, this is not going to be good. It's not good for law and order," DeSantis said two weeks ago in Orlando at the Florida Sheriff’s Association Conference.
The Florida Sheriff’s Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association oppose the measure, citing concerns about a growing black market in states like Colorado and California despite legalization.
"Well, what's happened in Colorado is, they have the biggest black market they have ever had. California has a big black market, and so, that has led to way more drugs. It's led to more dangerous drugs coming in," DeSantis said.
The Florida Freedom Fund, a committee set up by the governor's chief of staff, James Uthmeier, has raised nearly $1.8 million to fight Amendment 3 and Amendment 4, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
Proponents of recreational cannabis have gained a new ally: Republican Sarasota state Sen. Joe Gruters.
“With Amendment 3, I think we can take that step, to save lives, decriminalize it, and make sure we put up the guardrails to protect average, everyday Floridians,” Gruters said during an interview with WESH 2 News.
Gruters, who served as chair of the Republican Party of Florida from 2018 to 2022 and has previously served in the state House. He has been a strong conservative voice, proposing restrictions on abortion, banning smoking on beaches, eliminating vote-by-mail drop boxes, and advocating for guns in churches and schools.
He argues that recreational cannabis would be a revenue generator, noting that medical marijuana is currently not taxed.
Gruters also addressed law enforcement concerns about impaired drivers, suggesting that Florida should explore new scientific methods to test for driver impairment to ensure safety.
“At the end of the day, we have the ability to regulate it however we see fit. We can put those guardrails up. We can make sure on the implementation side that it, you know, we can test impairment and put people away for driving under the influence, 100% we should do that," he said.
For Amendment 3 to pass, 60% of voters must vote yes, and current polls indicate it has a strong chance of approval.
AI
