Amendment 3: Recreational marijuana legalization

Where there’s passion, there’s big money. Supporters and opponents have spent well over $100 million on Amendment 3.

The bottom line is that if 60% of Florida voters vote “yes,” recreational marijuana will become legal in Florida.

While a good number of Democrats and Republicans support Amendment 3, Governor Ron DeSantis does not. He’s on the record saying the amendment as written is too broad, but more importantly, the Governor fears the open smoking of marijuana would ruin everyone’s quality of life because the smell could be everywhere.

Those behind Amendment 3, the nonprofit organization Smart and Safe Florida, say not so fast. A spokesperson told WINK News that Florida lawmakers are free to restrict where people use weed. She said Florida State Senator Joe Gruters has already drafted a piece of legislation that would restrict where individuals are allowed to consume marijuana in public.

“Vote ‘yes’ because it means safe products, a safer Florida, freedom to consume a product that is widely used already and incredible tax revenue,” Morgan Hill, spokesperson for Smart and Safe Florida, said.

Smart and Safe Florida listed three positives to Amendment 3.

One, it would create a legal market with lab-tested safe products. Hill said her organization estimates there are two million Floridians who buy marijuana illegally, and they risk buying weed laced with dangerous substances like fentanyl. Amendment 3 will change that. If those two million Floridians buy weed legally, they’ll pay sales tax.

Two, the threat of arrest is removed. Three, and on the ballot, it’s estimated that marijuana would generate at least $195.60 million annually once the market is fully operational, as it is subject to sales tax.

“I think it’s really important to know that marijuana is already here in the state of Florida. One, there is a medical marijuana market where 800,000 people are purchasing and consuming marijuana. There are another nearly two million people who are purchasing marijuana from the illicit market,” Hill said.

Hill went on to say, “It would eliminate the restrictions on small amounts of marijuana possession, meaning adults in Florida would no longer be subject to arrest for marijuana possession of that amount.”

Many law enforcement officials, including Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, are Joining Governor DeSantis in pushing Floridians to vote no on Amendment Three.

“We’re dealing with mental health and substance use disorders already. Do we really need to expand upon that? No, we don’t. It’s been a failed experiment in other states. This amendment here is only about money,” Sheriff Prummell said.

Senator Rick Scott said in a statement to WINK News that he will be voting no because he lost a family member to drug abuse. Critics of the amendment say marijuana is a gateway drug and fear that the government won’t be able to regulate the industry. Sheriff Prummell said it’s not worth the risk.

“If we do this and it turns out to be a failed social experiment, which I do think it will be, and it’s in the constitution, we’re stuck with it,” Sheriff Prummell said.

The amendment says that anyone 21 and older can buy and possess up to three ounces. It prohibits anyone from growing their own marijuana, as a license is required in order to sell it.

Since 2016, the state of Florida has allowed medical marijuana, but not recreational. 24 other states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana.

A vote “yes” supports legalizing recreational marijuana for adults 21 and the possession of up to three ounces of marijuana. A vote “no” is a vote to keep the law the same, meaning you support only medical marijuana being accessible in the state of Florida.

View the full amendment here.