JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cannabis, marijuana or weed. It goes by many names but now the discussion is on the ballot to make it legal in Florida.
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In just over three weeks Floridians will decide if the state will give individuals the right to have up to three ounces of marijuana for recreational purposes.
Political ads are having their own debates with some sheriffs in Florida supporting Amendment 3 and others opposing it.
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In Florida, voters approved medical marijuana back in 2016.
Cannabis stores began opening quickly.
A cannabis store in Five Points has a steady flow of people coming and going. Though many of those customers said they support Amendment 3, they don’t want the employers to know out of fear of the stigma of using cannabis.
There are 168,981 qualified patients with medical marijuana cards in Florida.
Conditions including cancer, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, Post-traumatic stress disorder and multiple sclerosis can qualify a patient to get a medical marijuana card. There are several other conditions too.
The card can allow patients to get low-THC cannabis and medical marijuana.
News4JAX viewers voiced their opinions on Amendment 3:
One viewer said they weren’t in support of it.
“No. The marijuana of today is so much stronger than what you smoked in the past,” the viewer said. “Many first-break psychotic episodes are triggered by pot.”
Another viewer said they don’t think people should be arrested for marijuana.
“Yes, because 1. Regulated marijuana reduces the non-regulated marijuana on streets and reduces crime. 2. People should not be in jail or get arrested for marijuana.”
Max Simon was an educator in mind-body medicine and wanted to fuse teaching and cannabis together. His company Green Flower is collaborating with the University of North Florida with five, six-month online certificate programs to help people join the cannabis industry.
It also covers the history, science, and business of cannabis. They are partnered with 60 learning institutions.
“In Florida, the medical cannabis industry is already a huge multi-billion dollar sector that has over 30,000 people working in the industry already so it’s already a very well-established and thriving cannabis industry,” Simon said.
He believes if Amendment 3 passes, it will create new opportunities, especially for small business owners.
“People are so excited to have the opportunity to study cannabis and to learn about this plant,” Simon said.
The group “Smart and Safe Florida,” which is mostly backed by medical marijuana company Trulieve, is supporting the amendment.
Former President Donald Trump has also said he will vote for it.
Governor Ron DeSantis has opposed it and the Republican Party of Florida is backing ads against Amendment 3.
There are also public service announcements from state agencies like the Florida Department of Transportation warning about the dangers of marijuana.
If the amendment passes, 21-year-old Floridians would be able to have three ounces of marijuana equivalent to the size of a deck of cards.
However, the amendment needs a 60% supermajority vote to take effect.