PENSACOLA, Fla. – A Republican state senator claimed on Friday that state agencies misused millions of dollars in taxpayer money on a campaign to sway Floridians to vote “no” on Amendment 3, which would legalize the personal use of marijuana for those 21 years and older.
RELATED | Florida officials share different perspectives on marijuana legalization | Trump supports Florida’s Amendment 3, but says marijuana legalization ‘should be done correctly’
Recommended Videos
State Sens. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) and Jason Pizzo (D-Sunny Isles Beach), and attorney John Morgan held a virtual news conference Friday morning to talk about the state campaign opposing the November ballot initiative.
“No matter where you stand on an issue, this is still a democracy, and in a democracy, we do not spend taxpayer dollars in advance of a political issue,” Gruters said. “Tax dollars are meant to be spent on our police, schools, roads and other public programs that make our state great, not political agendas.”
Watch the virtual news conference below
On Oct. 4, Pizzo filed a lawsuit that claimed that the Florida Department of Transportation improperly spent state money to oppose the ballot measure. The lawsuit specifically said the department “does not have the unilateral authority to pick sides and spend tax dollars to advocate against Amendment 3.”
The lawsuit came after a television ad, sponsored by FDOT, about the dangers of driving after using marijuana. The lawsuit said the ad warned, “DUI crashes increase in states with legalized marijuana putting everyone at risk.” Pizzo said the goal of that lawsuit was not to criminalize anyone, but to ask for the “conduct to stop.”
“We have data to support $50 million being spent on this ad campaign. I mean, that’s more than half of what we spent on Visit Florida to drive tourism as our largest economic driver for the state, and this is all for the ideology and position of just a few people,” Pizzo said.
This week, a Leon County circuit judge dismissed the lawsuit and wrote, in part, that state law gives the department “budgetary authority to spend funds on public service commercials, and the commercial in question does not mention Amendment 3, voting or the election.”
A 2022 study published by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that from 2009 to 2019, the combined effect of legalization and retail sales led to a 5.8% increase in injury crash rates and a 4.1% increase in fatal crash rates.
“Across states, the effects on injury crash rates ranged from a 7% decrease to an 18% increase. The effects on fatal crash rates ranged from a 10% decrease to a 4% increase,” the study found.
MORE | Hemp industry backs group fighting against Florida marijuana legalization
Morgan said Friday the state’s anti-pot campaign “is power being abused at its worst.”
“In my opinion, this is all driven by donors of politicians who don’t want the people to have a say,” Morgan said.
Friday’s virtual news conference was held just an hour after Gov. DeSantis held a panel in Pensacola to urge Floridians to vote “no” on Amendment 3.
DeSantis’ main argument against the amendment revolves around the company behind a multimillion-dollar dollar push to legalize weed, Trulieve. He said the amendment was written to benefit and “shield” that company from liability and accountability, creating a “big weed cartel.”
“Was this driven by citizens throughout Florida who really wanted to write this? No, it was not. This amendment was written by the CEO of a major marijuana company, and that company has spent over $100 million trying to get this passed in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said Friday.
MORE | Casey, Ron DeSantis urge Floridians to vote ‘no’ on Amendment 3, saying it creates a ‘big weed cartel’ | Sheriff Waters on Amendment 3: Not good for Florida; ‘marijuana smoke is the most offensive smell to me ever’
DeSantis and opponents of Amendment 3 also argue that, if passed, children will be negatively impacted.
“What’s happened in California and Colorado, they’re not allowed to sell to minors, but they package it and things that look like Sour Patch Kids or all these other things, and it ends up being sold to minors, maybe through the back door,” Gov. DeSantis said during a news conference Thursday.
On Wednesday, News4JAX spoke with the CEO of Trulieve, Kim Rivers, to address an anti-pot ad that claims that weed is packaged like candy and could endanger children.
Rivers gave News4JAX a live demonstration of exactly how marijuana products are packaged. The products are white and opaque with no colors at all on the packaging. That’s a requirement under Florida law she said doesn’t expect to change if recreational weed is legalized in November.
According to a report from the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference released in July of 2023, recreational marijuana would also 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.
As with all statewide ballot initiatives, Amendment 3 will require voter approval of 60% to pass. The Florida legislature will have to approve regulations for adult-use marijuana if it’s passed in the fall, much like the process for medical marijuana.