TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla — Speaking to an auditorium of students at the small Florida College in Temple Terrace, Governor Ron DeSantis continued his full-court press against Amendment 3, a ballot measure that if passed by voters would legalize the sale and possession of recreational marijuana in Florida.
“This is one of the most egregious things I’ve ever seen attempted,” DeSantis said, saying the measure is not about personal freedom but making money for the company who bankrolled it.
“The only way they could justify spending $141 million to try to enact a constitutional amendment that they have drafted, is if this will guarantee that they generate major profits for the shareholders,” DeSantis said, referencing the money spent by Florida’s largest Medical Marijuana company, Truleive, to get the question in front of voters.
The governor blasted the proposal and encouraged people to vote “no,” arguing the amendment would lessen the quality of life, cause problems on the roadway and lead to a flurry of litigation for small businesses.
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“I’ts not about freedom to do what you want with your own property and use the comfort of your own home. It’s about forcing a commercial relationship with them and these other select marijuana companies,” DeSantis added.
While Trulieve stands to make a large profit if the amendment is passed, CEO Kim Rivers says their motivation is in decriminalization and increasing safe access to marijuana.
“Over half of Americans today enjoy the ability to consume marijuana as an adult responsibly in their current state. And so really, the time has come for Florida to do the same and to turn the page,” Rivers said, who says getting rid of the black market will make communities safer.
“I’m a mom, and one of the things that I feel very passionately about is keeping our kids safe,” she said. “We’re taking this product off of the street and into a regulated, safe environment, much like this one. Why is that important? Because in a store environment, the products [have very] specific regulation.”
The governor has ramped up his campaign against the ballot measure in recent weeks, holding press conferences and roundtable discussions across the state. At the same time he’s facing criticism for using taxpayer money to do so and for state agencies for running PSAs against the measure.
“I certainly am a huge proponent of 3, but I’m against Amendment 4, which they are running PSAs for. At the end of the day, no matter where you stand on some of these issues, tax dollars should never go to fund political ads, period,” State Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) said, who’s been a vocal proponent, alongside Trulieve.
The former chair of the Republican Party of Florida argues it’s ultimately about personal freedom, and the state legislature can enact more “guardrails,” like a proposed ban on public smoking, if voters give it the green light.
“Ultimately, it’s about safety, it’s about decriminalization. It’s about putting the necessary guardrails up, and we do it the right way, the Florida way,” he said.
So far, 24 states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana. You can read the full text of the proposed amendment for yourself on our 10 Tampa Bay voter guide.