JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan expressed her support for Amendment 3, a November ballot initiative that if approved would legalize the use of marijuana in Florida for those 21 years and older, according to a report by Florida Politics.
In an exclusive interview with Florida Politics, Deegan said that while there should still be laws that regulate its usage, she thinks people should be free to use marijuana for personal consumption if they aren’t putting the community in danger or causing a disruption.
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“I support Amendment 3. People shouldn’t be jailed and caught up in the system for small amounts that are for personal consumption,” she told Florida Politics.
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Deegan’s support for Amendment 3 came two days after Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters expressed at a town hall meeting that he is “dead set against it”.
Waters told those on hand that his stance probably doesn’t surprise anyone “because I’m a policeman” and added that he doesn’t think legalization would be good for the state.
“Marijuana smoke is the most offensive smell to me ever,” he said. “I was in Stockton, California, not too long ago, and I’m walking from one place to another just, marijuana smoke. Why do I have to smell everyone else’s smoke?”
On Saturday, Waters released a statement regarding his stance on Amendment 3.
“As a 33-year law enforcement officer and your elected Sheriff, I will always oppose policies that put the health and safety of Jacksonville’s children and families at risk, including Amendment 3.
In states where marijuana has been legalized recreationally, we've seen a rise in drugged driving incidents, an increase in emergency room visits, and a surge in marijuana-related crimes. The negative consequences on public safety are clear.
Amendment 3 will lead to more addiction, impaired driving, and crime. It will make neighborhoods and roadways less safe and our families less healthy. For these reasons, I strongly oppose Amendment 3 and urge our citizens to do the same.”
Sheriff T.K. Waters
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 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.”
TELL US | Do you support legalizing recreational use of marijuana? Why or why not?
Voters in Florida will have the opportunity to vote “yes” or “no” to legalize adult-use marijuana in November. If at least 60% of voters approve the measure, it would open the recreational marijuana market to consumers.