Gray Rohrer
When it came to paying for the effort to get a recreational marijuana amendment on the 2024 ballot, Trulieve, a Tallahassee-based medical pot company, stood alone, donating $40 million.
Now that the Florida Supreme Court has allowed the measure to appear on the ballot as Amendment 3, other companies are joining the push to persuade voters to approve it.
According to state campaign finance reports, Smart & Safe Florida, the political committee behind the effort, raised nearly $14.9 million in the first quarter. Trulieve gave $9.25 million, or 62% of the total.
Verano Holdings, a Chicago-based medical pot company, gave $2.25 million; Boston-based Curaleaf gave $2 million; Greenthumb Industries and Ayr Wellness Inc. each gave $500,000 and Cresco Labs chipped in with $400,000.
With the exception of Trulieve, all the donations were recorded 10 days before the March 31 end of the quarter, just ahead of the April 1 decision of the court to approve the measure for the ballot.
The committee spent $593,000 last quarter, with the bulk of the funds going to consulting, accounting and legal services.
Amendment 3 would legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes by those over 21. It would also grant licensed medical marijuana treatment centers the ability to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute” marijuana and related products for such use.
The amendment also notes that it doesn’t change federal law, which still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug that is illegal.
If 60% of voters approve the measure, it would take effect six months after the November election.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has criticized the amendment, saying other states that have approved similar measures haven’t had positive experiences, and warned of the foul smell legalized weed brings to cities. Attorney General Ashley Moody argued against allowing the amendment on the ballot, but whether a more organized, vocal opposition to the amendment emerges during campaign season remains to be seen.
3 comments
Hung Wiil
April 11, 2024 at 3:34 pm
Stinky poo. That’s the argument against it? Ridiculous.
I was recently in DC, and there are pot shops on every corner. The foul odors in DC did not come from burning marijuana flowers.
Twenty-four states have legalized for recreational, thirty-eight for medicinal. More states are not approving this because it has been a failure. With all due respect, the Governor is being a luddite on this one.
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 11, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Good evening Florida,
The main problem for getting anything “CONSERVATIVE” done with restricting weed to what Florida Republicans “SAY” they want to do is laid out below so you will understand.
EARL PREACHES ON:
Back befor Nikki Fried was Florida’s Ag. Commishioner what do you think she was doing?
YOU DONT KNOW SO EARLS GONNA TELL YOU:
Nikki was at the time not really infected with “Dook 4 Brains Leftism” she was better looking and not so “HATCHET FACED” in fact she was a good looking “HOTTIE”.
BUT EARL WHAT WAS SHE DOING ALREADY???
“She was charming the political “Powers that Be In Florida” and elsewhere …. using her HOTTIE female charms to get anyone and everyone investing in WEED. AND she was very very good at it.
TELL US MORE SAGE EARL:
Well Nikki got EVERY POLITICIAN INVESTED POSSABLE. Now you are thinking that she only used her HOTTIE female charms to getvl Dook 4 Brains Leftys invested …. right ???????
WRONG:
MANY of those in Florida that invested are who you would consider to be POWERFULL SAGE PATRIOTS in Florida ….. AKA “REPUBLICANS”.
“Not that “Legally There Is Anything Wrong or Illegal About That”.
HOWEVER:
That is why Florida is going to go “ALL COLARADO” on us before you know what happened.
FULL DISCLOSURE:
She even charmed me, Earl Pitts American, into dropping a few Million on “THAT WEED THING”.
Sure all us Sage Patriot investors will feel a little guilty but the “Dividends” will set us up for several lifetimes.
IN CLOSING:
All Sage Patriots will play the “WE HATE WEED CARD” until after the elections. But grinning like possums for the rest of our lives!!!!!
Earl Pitts “WEED KING” American
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 13, 2024 at 5:16 pm
America,
My Truth Drop above has BOTH “Dook 4 Brains Leftys” & “Sage Patriots” totally “AT A LOSS 4 WORDS”.
Sage Truth & Wisdom has a way of doing that ya know.
Trust Earl America,
Earl Pitts “EARL WONT LIE TO YOU” American
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