JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Would you support allowing the use of recreational marijuana in Florida if the money generated from the sales of the drug benefited Florida schools and neighborhoods?
A new ad claims legalizing recreational marijuana will generate billions for schools and safer communities.
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News4JAX spoke with people on both sides of this issue, and our political analyst, and looked at how other states are distributing the money they make off marijuana.
In a new commercial funded by Smart and Safe Florida, proponents of recreational marijuana are promising a benefit to the entire state, saying that the tax money generated will help to improve Florida schools and local neighborhoods.
“Vote yes on Amendment 3 giving adults access and the freedoms to make choices in their own homes, all while generating billions for safer schools and communities,” the ad says.
According to a report from the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference released in July of 2023, recreational marijuana will generate sales tax revenue of between $195 million and $431 million a year in Florida. These sales tax dollars would mostly go to the state, just like any other sales tax. However, there’s currently no plan to direct the money to any specific use.
News4JAX asked voters if the promise of dedicating marijuana revenues to local schools would affect their votes.
“There are no pros to it. America needs to wake up. It’s about time they shut it down,” one expected voter said.
Joseph Lowe, who had a stroke earlier this year, advocates for medical marijuana. Florida voters legalized it in 2016, and he said it has helped him cope tremendously.
“It helps me with my anxiety. I had a stroke in March, and it helps me relax, it helps me eat too,” Lowe said.
News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney said that it’s still too early to know precisely where the sales tax revenues will go if Amendment 3 passes. The decision would ultimately be made by state legislators.
“The argument that it generates additional revenue is accurate. Where that revenue goes is subject to a lot of scrutiny,” Mullaney said. “One of their arguments is that it increases revenue for education. But that may not be entirely accurate. When you generate revenue from the increased sale of marijuana, that is a sales tax revenue, which is controlled by the state legislature. It’s not clear how they would allocate it.”
Some states that have legalized recreational marijuana have created separate excise taxes on top of regular sales taxes, with specific uses for those added tax dollars.
In Arizona:
• 34% of the proceeds go to community college districts
• 34% go to public safety, including police and fire departments
• 25% goes to the highway user revenue fund
In Oregon:
• 40% of cannabis taxes go to a state school fund
• 20% goes to mental health treatment or for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, early intervention, and treatment
• 15% goes to the state police
• 10% goes to cities
• 10% goes to counties
• 5% goes back to the Oregon Health Authority for a separate program
If Florida legalizes recreational marijuana, lawmakers will need to create additional taxes to direct the marijuana tax money for specific uses.
In order to pass, 60% of voters will need to approve the amendment in November.
A total of 24 states, plus the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.