With just shy of six months to go until Election Day, the campaign to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida is kicking into high gear as sponsor Smart & Safe Florida announced the release of a batch of new ads aimed to educate voters on the amendment and increase support.

According to a news release from Smart & Safe Florida, four ads are set to air statewide across broadcast, cable, streaming, radio and digital platforms.

The ads feature a variety of Floridians, including mothers, business professionals and a former law enforcement officer and Vietnam War veteran, speaking in favor of Amendment 3 and explaining why residents should have the freedom to consume safe and regulated cannabis.

Smart & Safe Florida spent $5 million on the ad campaign.

Florida’s New Recreational Weed Ad Campaign: A Closer Look

The four ads touch on many of the same themes, though each has its own unique focus surrounding why Florida voters should support Amendment 3 this November.

The “Freedom” ad features retired U.S. Army Col. Wilson Barnes, who references the current policies as “outdated,” costing many Floridians their freedom while highlighting his military service as a means to defend that freedom. 

The “Available” ad primarily highlights the current abundance of illicit cannabis in the state and the potential dangers of consuming unregulated and untested products. The “Clear Choice” ad poses a “no” vote on Amendment 3 as a means to continue allowing “cartel criminals to profit from illegal marijuana laced with toxic chemicals and dangerous drugs” and a “yes” vote as providing more consumer safety.

The “Vote Yes” ad is the only full-minute clip and touches on most of the points of the other three 30-second ads. All of the advertisements also note that the amendment would provide more freedom for residents and generate revenue for schools, police and safer communities.

“A yes vote on Amendment 3 will improve the health and safety of Floridians,” the news release states — a similar message to the verbiage utilized in the four advertisements. “Access to regulated adult-use marijuana would help prevent illicit cartel-trafficked marijuana from making its way into Florida, as well as allow law enforcement to focus on violent crime. Without regulation, these products can be laced with dangerous materials including heavy metals, pesticides, glass, heroin, fentanyl and other illegal substances.”

Upping the Ante and Closing Gaps for Approval

The amendment was approved for the ballot early last month after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the challenges from Attorney General Ashley Moody — who argued that the measure was misleading and doesn’t inform voters about federal prohibition — were invalid.

A “yes” vote on Amendment 3 supports legalizing adult-use cannabis and permitting possession of up to three ounces of flower and up to five grams of concentrate, and a “no” opposes adult-use legalization and all it would pertain.

The campaign comes after recent polling suggesting that support for legal recreational cannabis in Florida is strong, but may not be enough to actually pass the amendment come Election Day.

In Florida, measures must gain 60% support in order to pass. 

A recent USA Today/Ipsos survey found that 56% of registered Florida voters, and 49% of Florida adults overall, support the measure. Another poll released earlier this month also falls short of the required threshold for approval, finding that 58% of Florida voters support legalizing adult-use cannabis.

“A smart and safe Florida means a regulated marijuana market where Floridians no longer need to turn to illicit cartel-trafficked products on the streets,” said Smart & Safe Florida spokesperson Morgan Hill. “More than half of Americans already enjoy access to safe, regulated marijuana, and we believe Floridians deserve that same freedom. Our campaign in support of Amendment 3 is in full swing, and we’re excited to continue connecting with voters through to November.”

The post Smart & Safe Florida Reveals $5M Ad Campaign To Amp Up MJ Legalization Support first appeared on High Times.

The post Smart & Safe Florida Reveals $5M Ad Campaign To Amp Up MJ Legalization Support appeared first on Paradise Found.

The Florida Supreme Court recently decided in a 5-2 ruling that it will not be preventing an adult-use cannabis initiative from appearing on this year’s ballot. Later this year, voters will voice their opinion on “Florida Amendment 3, Marijuana Legalization Initiative,” where a “yes” supports legalizing adult-use cannabis and permitting possession of up to three ounces, and a “no” opposes adult-use legalization and all it would pertain.

This decision is the result of Attorney General Ashley Moody’s challenge of the initiative’s ballot language in summer 2023, arguing that the measure is misleading and doesn’t inform voters about federal prohibition. Moody also challenged a ballot initiative from 2022, to which the Supreme Court ultimately decided it was invalid.

The current initiative that will now be put in front of voters in November is backed by the advocacy group Smart & Safe Florida, which according to Politico, collected more than 1 million signatures to get the initiative onto the ballot. 

According to a written opinion from Justice Jamie Grosshans, the language doesn’t violate the single-subject rule, and is not too confusing for voters. “Selling and possessing marijuana appear, for better or worse, directly connected, and we cannot say that an amendment addressing both components violates the single-subject requirement,” the opinion stated. “We do not believe the summary would confuse a voter into thinking that the legislature is required to authorize additional licenses. It clearly states that the amendment legalizes adult personal possession and use of marijuana as a matter of Florida law.” Grosshans also addressed Moody’s claim that the amendment would require legislative decision in order to create adult-use dispensary licenses.

Smart & Safe Florida published a post on social media about the recent court ruling. “The court’s decision echoes our commitment to transparent ballot language and the right for voters to decide on vital issues. Here’s to progress and paving the path towards safer cannabis consumption for adults! #Yeson3”

A majority of the funds behind Smart & Safe Florida’s initiative came from the vertically integrated multistate operator, Trulieve, which granted more than $39 million to the effort. Trulieve is one of the largest cannabis companies in Florida, owning 131 of 618 medical cannabis dispensaries currently licensed in the state.

“We are thankful that the Court has correctly ruled the ballot initiative and summary language meets the standards for single subject and clarity. We look forward to supporting this campaign as it heads to the ballot this fall,” said Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers. “Trulieve was the primary financial supporter of the initiative during the signature gathering effort and subsequent court challenge and is a proud supporter, alongside a strong coalition of other companies, of the next important phase to educate Floridians on the amendment and secure a yes vote on Amendment 3 this November.”

In order for the initiative to pass this November, it will need 60% of voter approval, which would allow the state’s currently licensed medical cannabis companies to sell to any adult over 21.

Gov. Ron DeSantis took office in 2019, and shortly thereafter asked the legislature to repeal a ban on cannabis flower. Advocates and patients praised his support, and since then he has acted on that support to create strict rules to prevent medical cannabis advertisements in order to protect children.

However, DeSantis has made it clear that he does not support adult-use cannabis, calling it a “real problem” and referring to the plant as having a “stench.” He campaigned for president in 2023, and made claims that cannabis could be laced with fentanyl, and saying that he would not legalize adult-use cannabis if he were elected president. “Yeah, I would not legalize,” DeSantis said. “I think what’s happened is this stuff is very potent now. I think it’s a real, real problem and I think it’s a lot different than stuff that people were using 30 or 40 years ago. And I think when kids get on that, I think it causes a lot of problems. And then, of course, you know, they can throw fentanyl in any of this stuff now.”

Medical cannabis was legalized in Florida in 2016 with a 71.3% vote, and as of 2023, Florida had 871,000 registered medical cannabis patients, which is the highest number of patients in the country. According to Politico, the medical cannabis legalization effort was funded in majority by “Pot Daddy” John Morgan, who spent $7 million to push the initiative forward.

As of April 2, the Florida Supreme Court permitted a six-week abortion ban to take effect (which was signed by DeSantis in 2023). However, the court also approved a constitutional amendment to appear on the ballot that will ask voters to choose to decide on “Florida Amendment 4, Right to Abortion Initiative.” A “yes” vote would establish constitutional rights to abortion before fetal viability, while a “no” vote would oppose that constitutional right. “We’re thrilled the Court has let the voters decide the fate of abortion access in Florida,” said Laura Goodhue, Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates Executive Director. “This comes at the same time they have allowed a six-week ban to go into effect, making this initiative more important than ever.”

The post Florida Adult-Use Cannabis Initiative Approved for November 2024 Ballot appeared first on High Times.

The post Florida Adult-Use Cannabis Initiative Approved for November 2024 Ballot appeared first on Paradise Found.

A Florida beach was the site of some mysterious, lost treasure over the weekend. 

Police in Neptune Beach, a town in the northeastern corner of the state near Jacksonville, said on Saturday that officers “responded to a large amount of marijuana which washed ashore” earlier that morning. 

“It appears a large quantity likely broke open at sea and separated before coming ashore,” the Neptune Beach Police Department said in a Facebook post. “Officers are on scene working with Public Works to clean the marijuana off the beach.”

The Facebook post included three photos, each showing a long trail of cannabis buds along the beach. 

“Before anyone starts thinking about coming out and turning this discovery into your own treasure hunt, we would advise against it,” the police department said in the post. 

The weed was apparently quite dank––and not in a good way.

“After floating in the ocean for some time, the marijuana has quickly begun to degrade and rot,” the cops said in the post.

Local news outlet Action News Jax reported late Saturday morning that officers “were on the scene working with Public Works to clean the marijuana off the beach,” and that the “scene is now clear.”

“There was a couple of cop cars down here parked on the street, just parked down there I guess picking up nugs of weed that washed up from the water,” an eyewitness told the station. 

We’ve seen this movie before. 

In 2018, law enforcement in St. John’s County, Florida reported that a number of packages of cannabis had been washing up on their shores, including one package that weighed 30 pounds.

“Most of those kinds of exchanges go on in the middle of the night,” Chuck Mulligan, the St. John’s County public information officer, said at the time. “There’s no telling where in the ocean this could have possibly occurred. It could have been off the coast of St. Johns County or it could have been somewhere in south Florida that drifted for days.”

“Being so close in proximity to Central and South America, we are many times a gateway to get [product] into the U.S.,” he added. “So it’s not uncommon for us to see this every once in a while, maybe once or twice a year in St. Johns County.”

Recreational cannabis is still against the law in the Sunshine State. Advocates are trying to change that, but have run into stiff opposition from some Florida officials.

Last month, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court challenging a proposed 2024 ballot initiative to legalize recreational cannabis. 

In her brief, Moody asserts that the initiative would allow “adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories” for recreational purposes.

Because cannabis remains illegal under federal law, Moody contends that makes the initiative “incorrect and misleading.”

The advocacy group pushing to get the initiative on next year’s ballot, Smart & Safe Florida, responded this month with its own brief filed to the Supreme Court. 

“In the past several years, this Court has established a ‘roadmap’ for sponsors of marijuana-related ballot initiatives. In drafting the Initiative, SSF followed that clear roadmap. But the Attorney General and other opponents now argue that this court should abruptly redraw the map,” the group’s brief said. “The Attorney General’s lead argument is that this court should discard three of its recent precedents—precedents that it expressly encouraged ballot sponsors to use as blueprints for drafting future initiatives.”

The post Beach Bud: ‘Large Amount’ of Cannabis Washes Ashore in Florida appeared first on High Times.

The post Beach Bud: ‘Large Amount’ of Cannabis Washes Ashore in Florida appeared first on Paradise Found.

The Florida-based advocacy group Smart & Safe Florida (SSF) has been hard at work trying to get a cannabis legalization initiative on the ballot for 2024. The most recent developments include new briefs filed with the Florida Supreme Court.

On July 19, Smart & Safe Florida, alongside the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida and Cato Institute, filed a new brief with the Florida Supreme Court in response to Attorney General Ashley Moody who is challenging the initiative. The Supreme Court is labeling this as a “high profile case.”

In the brief, SSF states that the “roadmap” for previous cannabis ballot initiatives has been guiding cannabis reform, but that Moody is attempting to alter that process. “In the past several years, this Court has established a ‘roadmap’ for sponsors of marijuana-related ballot initiatives. In drafting the Initiative, SSF followed that clear roadmap. But the Attorney General and other opponents now argue that this court should abruptly redraw the map,” the brief stated. “The Attorney General’s lead argument is that this court should discard three of its recent precedents—precedents that it expressly encouraged ballot sponsors to use as blueprints for drafting future initiatives.”

In attempting to “redraw” this initiative map, SSF claims that Moody is suggesting that the Supreme Court “…abandon the deferential standard of review that it has consistently applied to ballot initiatives for decades, essentially arguing that this Court committed legal error in dozens of decisions, and that it should invent a new, more lenient standard for discarding precedent.”

SSF is asking the Supreme Court to “reject these misguided efforts to jettison established legal rules in service of a thinly veiled policy agenda,” and to confirm that SSF’s initiative “satisfies the legal requirements to be placed on the ballot.”

Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida and Cato Institute also issued individual briefs as well.

The Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida said that Moody’s argument is “misleading because it fails to disclose that there may be a significant period in which the marijuana industry will be unregulated in the production of marijuana for non-medical personal use by adults, ignores the current regulatory scheme that would remain in place, is speculative, and is belied by Florida’s history of robustly regulating marijuana.” The organization asserts that the ballot title and summary are not misleading, and should be approved.

The Cato Institute’s brief argues that the ballot initiative does not violate the state’s single subject rule for ballot initiatives.

In order for SSF’s ballot to fully qualify, it will need to submit 891,589 valid signatures. In March, SSF submitted 420,000 signatures toward the initiative’s goal to qualify for the ballot, but only 222,881 signatures were required to prompt a Florida Supreme Court review of the ballot summary text in order to move forward.

Two months later in May, Moody submitted her opinion that the ballot doesn’t meet the requirements of the single subject rule. “We very much look forward to [Moody’s] analysis but more importantly to both written and oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court and a positive ruling from that court,” SSF said at the time. “As an aside, it is important to note that the opinion of the Attorney General is not binding and that this matter will be decided after both sides have had their say before the Florida Supreme Court.”

By June, Moody officially challenged the initiative with a legal opinion that the ballot title and summary is “incorrect and misleading” because cannabis is still illegal under federal law. Previously, Moody also called a ballot initiative from 2021 “misleading” and the Florida Supreme Court rejected the measure.

Cannabis company Trulieve has granted a total of $39.05 million toward getting a legalization initiative onto the ballot in 2024. 

If the initiative is allowed to proceed to the ballot and is approved by voters, it would allow currently operating medical cannabis businesses to sell adult-use cannabis, but also allow state legislators to increase the number of dispensaries. For residents, it would allow adults to possess up to three ounces of flower and up to five grams of concentrates, but in its current form does not allow home cultivation and does not mention anything in regards to cannabis conviction expungement or social equity licensing.

The post Florida Advocacy Group Files Brief Against Attorney General for Challenging 2024 Ballot Initiative appeared first on High Times.

The post Florida Advocacy Group Files Brief Against Attorney General for Challenging 2024 Ballot Initiative appeared first on Paradise Found.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on Monday filed a challenge to a proposed ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana with the state Supreme Court, arguing that the initiative should not appear before voters in next year’s general election. If successful, the proposed amendment initiative from the group Smart & Safe Florida would legalize cannabis for all adults aged 21 and up. 

In a legal opinion filed with the Florida Supreme Court on Monday, Moody, a Republican who has been the state’s attorney general since 2019, argued that the proposed marijuana legalization ballot measure is misleading to voters. In the brief, she notes that according to the ballot summary, the proposed initiative would permit “adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories” for non-medical consumption.

“That is incorrect and misleading,” because marijuana remains illegal under federal law, she wrote in the state’s brief. “In previously approving similarly worded ballot summaries, the court erred.”

“[M]arijuana is independently prohibited by federal law,” the brief notes, as cited by the Orlando Sentinel. “Indeed, every individual who possesses marijuana under the scheme provided by the proposed amendment would become a federal criminal.”

The ballot summary notes that the initiative does not change federal law, but that language is “inadequate to resolve the confusion,” Moody wrote in the brief.

To qualify for the ballot, the proposal must first be approved by the Supreme Court and receive nearly 900,000 verified signatures from registered voters. If the initiative survives the challenge by Moody, it must receive at least 60% of the vote in the 2024 general election to become law.

Medical Marijuana Legalized In 2016

In 2016, the Florida Supreme Court approved a medical marijuana legalization ballot measure that went on to garner 71% of the vote at the polls in that year’s election. But in her legal brief, Moody wrote that “voters need clear guidance before being asked to lift state-law penalties for the possession of a substance that would subject users to devastating criminal liability under federal law. And the rampant misinformation in the press and being peddled by the sponsor of this initiative about its effects makes clarity all the more pivotal.”

In a 5-2 decision in 2021, the Florida Supreme Court rejected a proposed recreational marijuana initiative that was challenged by Moody. The same year, the court also rejected a second adult-use cannabis ballot proposal in a separate decision.

Campaign Responds To Challenge

After Moody filed the brief challenging the proposal, Smart & Safe Florida spokesman Steve Vancore said the campaign does not agree with Moody’s assessment of the ballot measure.

“We believe the language as written clearly complies with the requirements of the Constitution. We look forward to bringing this matter to the Florida Supreme Court and are confident that the court will conclude that there is no lawful basis to set aside the ballot initiative,” Vancore said in a public statement. “This important issue should be entrusted to the citizens of Florida — over a million of whom have already signed the Smart & Safe Florida petition saying they support it — to decide for themselves through democratic choice.”

Daniel Russell, an attorney specializing in cannabis law, accused Moody of politicizing the issue.

“This document is more Fox News fear-mongering intended to produce goodwill from ‘the base’ than a legal document filed by Florida’s chief legal officer on behalf of the state’s 22 million residents,” Russell told The News Service of Florida in an email. “It reeks of conservative nonsense and Nixonian views on a substance that is legalized for recreational use in 23 states, three U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. I believe that the Supreme Court of Florida will see this for what it is and allow voters to decide the next steps for Florida’s future.”

Proposal Would Legalize Weed For Adults in Florida

The proposal from Smart & Safe Florida would allow the state’s current providers of medical marijuana to begin selling cannabis to all adults aged 21 and up. Consumers would be permitted to purchase up to three ounces of marijuana at a time, including no more than five grams of cannabis concentrates. The proposed constitutional amendment ballot measure allows state lawmakers to authorize additional adult-use cannabis business licenses, although there is no requirement for the legislature to do so. The initiative also retains Florida’s current vertically integrated business structure, which requires operators to control the production and marketing of marijuana from seed to sale.

The Smart & Safe Florida campaign is sponsored by Trulieve, the state’s largest medical marijuana provider, to the tune of contributions totaling more than $38 million, according to data from the state Division of Elections. Earlier this month, Trulieve announced that the proposal had received enough signatures from Florida voters to qualify for the 2024 general election ballot.

“Our investment demonstrates our firm belief that Floridians are ready to experience the freedom to use cannabis for personal consumption; a freedom which is currently enjoyed by more than half of America’s adults,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said in a statement from the company on June 1. “With over 965,000 validated signatures from nearly every part of our state, it is clear these voters share that belief. We are thrilled the campaign has made this milestone and look forward to seeing this initiative on the ballot next November.”

The post Florida AG Files Challenge to Cannabis Legalization Initiative appeared first on High Times.

The post Florida AG Files Challenge to Cannabis Legalization Initiative appeared first on Paradise Found.

The political committee Smart & Safe Florida is sponsoring the “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” proposal, which obtained well over the required 222,881 petition signatures to trigger an imperative Supreme Court review. 

On Monday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) formally submitted the proposal to the court, along with her opinion that it does not meet legal requirements to land on next year’s ballot. The Supreme Court reviews initiatives, specifically ensuring that constitutional amendments are limited to single subjects and that they contain clear language.

Moody has specifically claimed that the initiative violates the state Constitution’s single subject rule, requiring ballot proposals to focus on a single, individual issue only. Moody previously made the same argument about a 2022 legalization measure, which the Supreme Court ultimately invalidated.

“In accordance with the provisions of Article IV, section 10, Florida Constitution, I respectfully request this Court’s opinion as to whether the proposed amendment ‘Adult Personal Use of Marijuana’ complies with the single-subject requirement of Article XI, section 3, Florida Constitution, and whether the ballot title and summary of the amendment complies with the substantive and technical requirements in section 101.161(1), Florida Statutes,” Moody’s new court filing reads. “I believe that the proposed amendment fails to meet the requirements of Section 101.161(1), Fla. Stat., and will present additional arguments through briefing at the appropriate time.”

Activists countered with a statement shared Tuesday, sharing their appreciation for Moody’s transmittal to the Supreme Court while they “respectfully disagree with her statement that she believes it does not comply.”

“We very much look forward to her analysis but more importantly to both written and oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court and a positive ruling from that court. As an aside, it is important to note that the opinion of the Attorney General is not binding and that this matter will be decided after both sides have had their say before the Florida Supreme Court,” reads a statement from the Safe & Smart campaign. 

Trulieve spokesman Steve Vancore also shared the company’s belief that “the ballot language meet’s Florida’s single subject and related laws.” Trulieve is the largest cannabis producer in Florida and has put more than $38 million to date behind the effort to put adult-use cannabis in front of voters in the state.

“As a majority of American adults now enjoy the freedom to use cannabis for personal consumption, we hope the court will agree that the Smart & Safe amendment meets Florida’s ballot sufficiency laws and will allow the voters to have a vote on this important matter,” Vancore said. 

The Safe & Smart committee needs both Supreme Court approval and at least 891,523 validated petition signatures for the measure to land on the 2024 ballot. According to the state’s Division of Elections website, the committee had 786,747 signatures as of Tuesday.

Under the initiative, adults over the age of 21 would be allowed “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.” Additionally, the proposal allows state-licensed medical cannabis operators — of which there are currently 22 — to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and accessories.” 

The initiative does not allow for residents to grow at home for personal use. Should the initiative make the ballot, it must receive approval from 60% of voters to be enacted, since it’s a constitutional amendment.

A poll published by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) in February also found that 70% of respondents supported the measure, either “strongly” or “somewhat.”

“Efforts to put recreational marijuana in front of voters in 2024 are in the beginning stages, but support for it is high across the political spectrum,” said Dr. Michael Binder, PORL faculty director and professor of political science. “If it makes it onto the ballot next year, and that’s a big ‘if,’ it has a good chance of reaching the 60% supermajority needed to pass.”

The post Supreme Court Review for Florida Rec Cannabis Bill Set in Motion, AG to Challenge appeared first on High Times.

The post Supreme Court Review for Florida Rec Cannabis Bill Set in Motion, AG to Challenge appeared first on Paradise Found.

A legalization campaign recently launched by Smart & Safe Florida has garnered the support of medical cannabis company Trulieve and Grammy-nominated country music group, The Bellamy Brothers. Trulieve has donated $5 million to the effort that could lead to a measure on the 2024 ballots.

According to Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers, legalization is all about access. “We came into this with a mission to provide access to high-quality products that are safe and have an appropriate value proposition to give folks control over their—in the original days—medical journey,” Rivers told News Service of Florida. “I don’t think that changes here. I mean, in effect we are at our core about expanding the opportunity for access to safe legal product, which is what this would allow us to continue to do.”

If passed, the amendment would legalize cannabis for recreational use for anyone 21 or older. This includes “possession, purchase, or use of marijuana and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.”

It would also alter the state’s current “medical marijuana treatment centers” to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and accessories.” As of 2016, Florida requires that these businesses be vertically integrated, meaning they must control everything from cultivation to retail sales. According to WJCT News, this prevents smaller entrepreneurs from entering the industry.

Finally, should voters approve this measure, it would still allow legislators to participate in shaping regulations. “Any amendment in the state of Florida has to be very careful in terms of single subjects with this court and so I do know, speaking with the lawyers, that there was a very high focus on keeping this really focused around authorizing adult use and then allowing the Legislature to develop policy,” said Rivers.

The measure also has the support of Smart & Safe Florida political committee head and musician David Bellamy, of the musical duo The Bellamy Brothers. The country group members are Florida natives who have previously partnered with Trulieve to create a line of cannabis products.

“As we travel the country, we see the benefits of adult use and as Florida residents we love the ‘freedom state’ moniker and believe that Florida needs to join the millions of Americans whose adults are free to use cannabis without fear of being incarcerated,” the duo told WJCT News in an email.

A different legalization initiative from the political committee Sensible Florida, which proposed to regulate cannabis like alcohol, was rejected in June 2021 by the Florida Supreme Court. Another initiative was rejected in April 2021 as well.

Despite these hurdles, Rivers is confident that Trulieve lawyers have analyzed these previous attempts to learn from the past. “Every initiative has provided some level of learning,” Rivers said. “With this initiative, the authors have taken a hard look at the Supreme Court rulings surrounding the previous efforts and taken that into consideration. We believe it’s a very appropriate and narrowly focused amendment that does defer appropriately to the Legislature.”

Compared to previous attempts to legalize cannabis in Florida, Rivers believes that Trulieve’s strong support of medical cannabis patients could help get the word out about this new initiative. “One of the interesting aspects here is that we do have (a) medical-cannabis market and we have hundreds of thousands of patients in Florida who are utilizing medical cannabis regularly. So our ability to reach out and to have more direct communication…is a bit unique from a positioning perspective,” Rivers concluded.

But according to Rivers, Florida is home to many ardent advocates willing to help out. “While we’re happy to provide investment, we also do believe that there are a lot of folks who are very passionate about this and I expect to have a great engagement across the community,” she added.

Advocates like The Bellamy Brothers, who believe that legalization in Florida is a step toward ending non-violent cannabis convictions. “We see it every day and hear it from everyone we speak with, that the idea of putting adults in jail and ruining their lives for using cannabis is crazy. We have also read the polls and see consistent and strong support for an effort to allow adults to use cannabis,” The Bellamy Brothers wrote.

The post Newest Legalization Effort in Florida Receives $5 Million in Support appeared first on High Times.

The post Newest Legalization Effort in Florida Receives $5 Million in Support appeared first on Paradise Found.