Just say no: Florida Sheriffs Association takes position opposing recreational marijuana amendment

The group that represents Florida’s Sheriffs — which has often aligned itself with the state’s Republicans — is taking a formal stance against the amendment that would allow recreational marijuana.

The Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) released its resolution spelling out the reasons why it opposes Amendment 3. The Sheriffs voted last week to oppose Amendment 3.

The resolution states that recreational marijuana is contrary to the “interest of the public health safety and welfare and desires to preserve the rights of citizens to live and work in a community where drug use is not normalized and citizens are not affected by the adverse effects of drug misuse.”

Signed by FSA President and Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper, the resolution notes that in 2020, 24.3% of drivers involved in traffic fatalities tested positive for marijuana, up from 14.8% in 2013.

There was no opposition to the resolution at the meeting according to a spokesperson for the FSA. But not all Sheriffs oppose the amendment.

Gadsden County Sheriff Morris A. Young supports Amendment 3. Young, a Sheriff with more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, was front and center of a mass fentanyl overdose that killed six people in Gadsden County over the July 4 weekend in 2022.

“When Amendment 3 passes, adults who choose to consume marijuana will be safer as a result because simple cannabis products, legally purchased, won’t contain those dangerous additives,” Young wrote in the optional editorial that appeared in an optional editorial for the Tallahassee Democrat.

The FSA is aligning efforts with the Republican Party of Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis in opposing Amendment 3, which would allow for adult recreational use of marijuana. A committee, Vote No on 3, launched an effort to oppose the amendment.

Vote No on 3 did its own poll that found that 64% of likely General Election voters planned to vote “yes.” But that same poll indicated that opposition to the amendment is ticking upward and that support for the initiative is “stagnant” despite the recent ads.

Smart & Safe Florida is the committee pushing for passage of the amendment. Smart & Safe Florida’s largest contributor is Trulieve. The political committee has now raised $66.4 million since it started. The latest campaign report shows that Smart & Safe Florida has $12.5 million that it hasn’t spent yet.

The FSA, meanwhile, said in the release it will work to educate Floridians how the legalization of recreational marijuana will jeopardize the health and safety of Floridians and would lead to a lower quality of life for all.

“At the end of the day, the legalization of recreational marijuana prioritizes the interests of the marijuana industry over the health and safety of every Floridian, because we have seen the impact on our youth, on our roadways, within the illicit market, within the healthcare industry and more,” said Florida Sheriffs Association Immediate Past President and Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper.

“By opposing the legalization and commercialization of recreational marijuana, we are committed to safeguarding our citizens from various potential harms.”