Drew Wilson
The anti-recreational pot effort now has a name: Vote No on 3.
The new political committee launched this week “with the full support of the Governor,” promising “a vigorous and full-throated campaign” against the ballot measure to legalize marijuana for adults 21 years old and older.
Consensus Communications, which has prevailed in 19 ballot amendment campaigns, is running the Vote No on 3 campaign. Tre’ Evers has been tapped to serve as General Consultant and Ryan Tyson has been hired as a pollster and Senior Adviser.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Chief of Staff, James Uthmeier, will serve on the committee’s board in his personal capacity.
The committee outlined its arguments against the amendment, which it claims will “make Florida the California of the east.”
Vote No on 3 will highlight the measure’s lack of “time, place, or manner restrictions” or detailed plans for tax revenues generated by cannabis sales. The committee also asserts legalization will “cause the black market to explode” and make, due to increased prevalence, pot more readily accessible to children.
“Amendment 3 will have disastrous downstream consequences that will turn our state into an east coast version of California. It will threaten the health and safety of every community in Florida by allowing drug dealers to run rampant with zero consequences, creating a dangerous explosion in the black market, and forcing families to completely alter their lives to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke,” Vote No on 3 Spokeswoman Sarah Bascom said in a news release.
“We look forward to making clear to Floridians of all backgrounds how Amendment 3 is a bad plan for our state, and we will defeat it come November.”
Vote No on 3 noted that no committees have spent money fighting the marijuana amendment so far.
Amendment 3 backing committee Smart & Safe Florida has raised over $60 million this cycle, primarily from medical marijuana giant Trulieve. As of July 12, the committee had about $12.65 million on hand.
