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MARIJUANA MOMENT
FLORIDA GOP FORMALLY OPPOSES MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BALLOT INITIATIVE, CLEARING
PATH FOR DESANTIS TO FUND ‘COUNTER MESSAGE’ CAMPAIGN
* Politics
* Florida GOP Formally Opposes Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative,
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Expands
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* Florida Marijuana Legalization Campaign Activates New Veterans Coalition
To Win Over Voters
* Lubbock Voters Reject Local Marijuana Decriminalization Measure As Texas
AG Sues Other Cities That Passed The Reform
* Science & Health
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Smoke Weed’ For $70,420 Salary
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Touting ‘Historical Highs’ On 4/20 Weekend
* Massachusetts Saw Record-Breaking Marijuana Sales On 4/20, Pushing State
Across $6 Billion Mark For Recreational Purchases
* Legal Marijuana Purchases In Michigan Spiked In March, Reaching A New
Record High
* The Legal Marijuana Industry Now Supports More Than 440,000 Full-Time
Jobs, Up 5% From Last Year, Report Finds
* Video
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* Alaska House Passes Bill To Create Psychedelics Task Force In Anticipation
Of Federal Legalization
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Burlington, Sending Amended Proposal Back To House
* Newsletter
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(Newsletter: May 6, 2024)
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POLITICS
FLORIDA GOP FORMALLY OPPOSES MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BALLOT INITIATIVE, CLEARING
PATH FOR DESANTIS TO FUND ‘COUNTER MESSAGE’ CAMPAIGN
Published
4 seconds ago
on
May 6, 2024
By
Kyle Jaeger
The Florida Republican Party has officially come out against a marijuana
legalization initiative that will appear on the November ballot, clearing the
way for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to raise money to fund an opposition campaign
against the measure.
The governor plans to fundraise for campaigns opposing both the cannabis
initiative and an abortion rights proposal heading into the election, funneling
the money through the state Republican Party, according to a local media report.
Members of the organization formally voted to adopt the anti-legalization
position on Saturday.
“We support killing the [marijuana and abortion] amendments as a party because
it’s not good policy for the state,” Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan
Power told The Miami Herald. “When you look at it, it seems like these
amendments are out of step with what Floridians want.”
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An advisor to the governor also confirmed that DeSantis will “use his financial
position to raise money for a counter message for both of those amendments.”
DeSantis previewed his plans of “getting involved in different ways” to oppose
the proposed constitutional amendments late last month. He’s maintained that
there’s no need to expand upon the state’s existing medical cannabis program and
argued that further legalization would make Florida worse off, in part because
he says the smell of marijuana would be more widespread.
“I don’t want this state to be reeking of marijuana,” he said last month. “We’re
doing fine. We don’t need to do that.”
> Update: the @FloridaGOP took its vote on the recreational marijuana amendment
> today and is “officially opposed,” per Party Chair @EvanPower. The vote no
> campaigns on marijuana and abortion can now begin. https://t.co/o8rv4Yezci
>
> — Alexandra Glorioso (@aglorios) May 4, 2024
DeSantis also claimed the motives of the campaign behind legalization were
profit-driven. “There’s people that will benefit financially if these things
pass, and that’s what’s driving this, is the ability for people to line their
pockets,” he said. “On the marijuana one, you’re going to have marijuana
everywhere.”
He also previously predicted voters will reject the marijuana initiative in
November and argued that passage would “reduce the quality of life” in the
state.
Floridians would need to pass the medical marijuana industry-backed legalization
initiative with at least 60 percent of the vote for it to become law. Recent
polling released by USA Today/Ipsos suggests that might be a tall order,
however: The survey found that 56 percent of Florida registered voters and 49
percent of Florida adults overall back the cannabis measure.
A separate Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and Mainstreet Research poll found
that only a 47 percent plurality of voters back the cannabis initiative,
compared to 35 percent opposed and 18 percent undecided.
Economic analysts from the Florida legislature and DeSantis’s office, estimate
that the marijuana legalization initiative would generate between $195.6 million
and $431.3 million in new sales tax revenue annually if voters enact it. Those
figures could increase considerably if lawmakers opted to impose an additional
excise tax on cannabis transactions that’s similar to the ones in place in other
legalized states.
If approved, the measure would change the state Constitution to allow existing
medical cannabis companies in the state, such as Trulieve, the campaign’s main
financial contributor, to begin selling marijuana to all adults over 21. It
contains a provision that would allow—but not require—lawmakers to take steps
toward the approval of additional businesses. Home cultivation by consumers
would not be allowed under the proposal as drafted.
Adults would be able to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis, only
five grams of which could be marijuana concentrate products. The three-page
measure also omits equity provisions favored by advocates, such as expungements
or other relief for people with prior cannabis convictions.
Nearly all of the campaign’s financial backing has come from existing medical
marijuana businesses, predominantly multi-state operators. Recently, the Florida
Division of Elections (DOE) released the campaign finance activity report from
the first quarter of the year, showing nearly $15 million in new contributions.
Trulieve, the main financial backer of the initiative, led the pack again with
$9.225 million in donations during the first quarter. That follows the company
previously contributing about $40 million as advocates worked to collect more
than one million signatures to qualify for ballot placement.
The company’s CEO said recently that, contrary to the governor’s claims,
legalization could actually “improve quality of life” for residents.
Here’s what the Smart & Safe Florida marijuana legalization initiative would
accomplish:
* Adults 21 and older could purchase and possess up to three ounces of cannabis
for personal use. The cap for marijuana concentrates would be five grams.
* Medical cannabis dispensaries could “acquire, cultivate, process,
manufacture, sell, and distribute marijuana products and marijuana
accessories to adults for personal use.”
* The legislature would be authorized—but not required—to approve additional
entities that are not currently licensed cannabis dispensaries.
* The initiative specifies that nothing in the proposal prevents the
legislature from “enacting laws that are consistent with this amendment.”
* The amendment further clarifies that nothing about the proposal “changes
federal law,” which seems to be an effort to avoid past legal challenges
about misleading ballot language.
* There are no provisions for home cultivation, expungement of prior records or
social equity.
* The measure would take effect six months following approval by voters.
Here’s the full text of the ballot title and summary:
“Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products
and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking,
ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other
state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and
distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not
change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits
for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides
effective date.”
—
Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,400 cannabis, psychedelics and drug
policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters
pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and
hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to
get access.
—
Smart & Safe Florida announced in March that it was working to form a coalition
of veterans to build voter support for the reform. The campaign has since
formally launched that initiative.
Despite his opposition to the initiative, DeSantis, a former GOP presidential
candidate who dropped out of the race in January, previously accurately
predicted that the state’s highest court would ultimately allow the measure on
November’s ballot.
DeSantis also weighed in on another relevant cannabis policy issue earlier this
year when, while still a presidential candidate, he said that he doesn’t believe
the federal gun ban for state-legal marijuana consumers is constitutional.
Florida’s former agriculture commission, Nikki Fried, brought a lawsuit against
the Biden administration over the rule, though the governor did not get
involved.
Prior to dropping out, DeSantis also said that if elected president, he
would “respect the decisions that states make” on marijuana legalization despite
his personal view that the reform has a “negative impact.”
> Biden’s Marijuana Rescheduling Move ‘Adds Support’ For Pennsylvania
> Legalization Effort, Governor’s Office Says
Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our
cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon
pledge.
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Kyle Jaeger is Marijuana Moment's Sacramento-based managing editor. His work has
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