A.G. Gancarski
The Republican presidential nominee may be in favor of Florida legalizing adult use cannabis.
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump suggested he was open to supporting marijuana legalization, and promised a forthcoming statement on Florida’s Adult Personal Use of Marijuana amendment on November’s ballot.
“As we legalize it, I start to agree a lot more because it’s being legalized all over the country,” Trump said, before alluding to Florida’s ballot initiative.
“Florida has something coming up. I’ll be making a statement about that fairly soon, but as we legalize it throughout the country, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, it’s awfully hard to have people all over the jails that are in jail right now for something that’s legal. So, I think obviously there’s a lot of sentiment to doing that.”
The constitutional amendment will be presented for voter consideration in November’s General Election, with legalization in effect as soon as May 2025 if 60% or more of voters approve.
It would allow adults 21 years or older to “possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.”
It also would permit “Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories.”
The amendment would allow for personal use of cannabis and derivatives, permitting consumers up to 3 ounces of marijuana and 5 grams of concentrate (such as oils, wax, shatter, and others).
This position, should he take it, will put Trump at odds with Florida’s Governor, a recent electoral opponent turned fundraiser.
“It gives you a limitless constitutional right to possess and smoke. I think it’s up to like, what, 40 joints, is that the 3 ounces would be 40? More than that, 80 joints. Something like that,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said, urging the Republican Party of Florida to fight the ballot initiative during a breakfast meeting at Milwaukee’s Republican National Convention.
DeSantis has said he opposes legalization for a variety of reasons, including how it smells. He also said during his presidential campaign that today’s product is “too potent” and that dealers can “throw fentanyl in.”
Polling from the University of North Florida shows the amendment has 64% support statewide, with 50% of GOP voters backing it, though DeSantis and most elected Republicans in the state who have spoken on it have opposed it.
One exception to the anti-weed contingent in the GOP: Trump ally Joe Gruters, a candidate for CFO who came out in favor of the amendment this summer. After backing Trump over DeSantis in 2023, Gruters was subjected to tens of millions of dollars in line-item vetoes of projects he carried.
14 comments
Yrral
August 8, 2024 at 3:47 pm
Making Adderall Great Again Google Trump Adderall
MH/Duuuval
August 8, 2024 at 4:14 pm
Irrelevant, as usual. He gets one vote, like the rest of us.
On the other hand, if the anti-amendment folks cower before Trump and throw in the towel: Who-hoo!
Ocean Joe
August 8, 2024 at 4:16 pm
There he goes again, pulling the rug out from under Peter Thiel, JD Vance, and Governor Cowbell.
Greg Wehrly
August 8, 2024 at 5:00 pm
I agree with Ron DeSantis on most things but couldn’t disagree more on his marijuana legalization position. He is not powerless to put controls in place to deter public consumption and avoid the smell he detests. He and the Attorney General are not powerless to enforce the laws and make public consumption NOT WORTH the crime. I think he’s being a bit whiny and is extending his favor with Florida voters a bit too far. IMO
PeterH
August 8, 2024 at 7:07 pm
Worry not! Trump will never again sit in the Oval Office
Julie Schauer
August 9, 2024 at 7:22 pm
You obviously don’t understand what happened in other states. If you live in a condominium with the residents, you cannot have smoking bans. California residents have been trying to put in regulations and every year they are stymied by the state legislature which is controlled by the industry. Lose-lose situation for the public. Ditto Washington State. Although Colorado put in some regulations after legislators’ children developed psychotic illnesses, the legislation was incompletely carried out.
cassandra was right
August 12, 2024 at 1:27 pm
LOL, You obviously don’t understand rights. Other people don’t give up theirs just because YOU CHOOSE to live in a condominium! Condos can control recreational marijuana the same way they control tobacco and medical marijuana now. Statewide there are already laws that prohibit smoking in most public places. Get the Government out of our personal lives!
Vote YES on 3
ple have nice things, what do you not understandrick whitaker
August 12, 2024 at 6:48 pm
julie, you need to smoke a fatty and chill
Yrral
August 9, 2024 at 5:52 am
Trump helicopter crashed Involving Kamala boyfriend Willie Brown maybe he just crashing in the polls need to make false stories Google Trump Helicopter Crash
Heidi J. Anderson Swan
August 9, 2024 at 8:01 pm
I live in California and voted for it. I believed everything the industry and elected leaders said and now I totally regret it. It smells like skunk everywhere.
People have the right to smoke in their own home. I live in a condo and it’s awful. There is nothing we can do when the toxic stench comes through our vents and windows. I have a family member who has allergies and the only choice we would have is to move. We can do nothing.
People smoke at the beaches at all hours of the day and night. They don’t care if kids are around. The smell travels for blocks. And what does this say to youth? That getting stoned at the beach is acceptable. We have no rights to clean air. The rights belong to the the drug users.
What about driving? California doesn’t collect data on this, but Colorado does and the instances of MJ impaired driving fatalities has gone way up since legalization.
The industry doesn’t say anything about the risks to mental health. So people use it thinking it’s safe and they wind up getting psychosis, depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. This has absolutely contributed to our homeless problems.
We need class action law suits. That is the only way people will believe these products are not magic cure-alls the industry claims. This is a for-protfit industry, with Big Tobacco/Alcohol/Pharma investors.
ple have nice things, what do you not understandrick whitaker
August 12, 2024 at 6:51 pm
heidi, you need to smoke a fatty and chill
cassandra was right
August 13, 2024 at 7:17 am
This is exactly how ridiculous the Anti’s sound. Get the government out of personal matters!
Vote YES on 3
MH/Duuuval
August 10, 2024 at 12:52 pm
A senior citizen in DC had a similar problem with a condo neighbor’s smoke and ended up winning her case. Folks should have the right to control their air quality at home.
It will take a while for the transition from criminalization to legalization, if the vote goes that way in Florida. The Legislature will still have the right to ban smoking of any substance wherever it is deemed unwelcome by the majority.
The alternative, please remember, is the keystone cops melodrama of police carting people off to jail for a single joint — because cops were in traffic and smelled pot smoke coming from the sunroof of a nearby car.
SC Cannabis Coalition
August 11, 2024 at 8:37 pm
About 93% of Americans are in favor of medical marijuana. 70% want it fully legalized! Only 5% want to keep these old outdated laws originally based on Jim Crow Racism! 2% are still unsure. The GOP is/was supposed to be for “More Personal Freedom” & “Less Government Regulation”, right? Why be bassackwards on cannabis & in support of old, woefully outdated and racist laws? Legal cannabis taxes can help to pay for better public schools & roads. (Fix Potholes!)
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