Former President Donald Trump has announced his support for a Florida ballot initiative that seeks to legalize marijuana, putting him at odds with the state’s Republican governor, who opposes the measure.
Trump revealed on Truth Social late Sunday that he backs Florida Amendment 3, which would permit companies already licensed by the state to produce medical marijuana to sell it for recreational use. Just hours earlier, however, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cautioned a crowd of about 200 people at a church in Tallahassee that the amendment could create a legal “drug cartel” in the state and result in widespread public use of the drug, according to Politico.
“Public use of this will be rampant,” DeSantis argued. “You can’t point to a state that is better off for doing it.” (RELATED: Weed Lobby Increases Spending Ahead of Key Legislation While Studies Suggest the Drug May Pose Major Health Risks)
The campaign backing the measure, which would amend Florida’s constitution if approved, has raised over $80 million in cash, nearly all of which has come from Trulieve, Florida's largest medical marijuana company, according to Politico.
If Amendment 3 passes, Trulieve would be among a small number of companies permitted to sell marijuana for recreational use. To pass, the amendment requires at least 60% voter approval.
“They’re creating a drug cartel in Florida’s constitution,” DeSantis stated. “And they’ll have no liability for the cultivation and sale of marijuana.”
Recent studies have linked cannabis use to heart disease, stroke, and various mental health issues. Additionally, about 22% of marijuana users develop cannabis use disorder, meaning they struggle to stop using the substance even when it causes social or health problems, according to a 2020 study.
“As a Floridian, I will be voting YES on Amendment 3 this November,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “As President, we will continue to focus on research to unlock the medical potential of marijuana by reclassifying it as a Schedule 3 drug and work with Congress to pass common sense laws.”
The former president also expressed his belief that it is "time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use." However, DeSantis argues that no one in Florida is currently serving prison time solely for marijuana possession, according to Politico.
Trump and DeSantis have also recently clashed over Florida’s abortion law, which bans abortions once an unborn child has a detectable heartbeat, typically around six weeks of pregnancy. While signing the law was a priority for DeSantis, Trump has stated that he believes the law’s protections for the unborn are too strict in Florida.
DeSantis previously ran an unsuccessful primary campaign against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination.
The Trump campaign and the Florida governor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
