The battle to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida is being bankrolled almost entirely by one company: Trulieve.
Since 2022, the major medical cannabis distributor has contributed over $92 million to the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, making up the lion’s share of the over $100 million total the group has raised, according to the latest state campaign finance reports.
As of Aug. 30, the committee has put over $76 million towards passing the recreational marijuana constitutional proposal, known as Amendment 3, on the November ballot with its Yes On 3 campaign.
If Trulieve’s bid for victory in Florida is successful, the company will expand its already massive influence in the Sunshine State, where it already has 156 dispensaries. Trulieve reported revenue last year of $1.13 billion, with record cash flow from operations of $202 million.
According to the ballot language, Amendment 3 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 needs 60% voter support to pass.
Several polls show the effort to legalize recreational marijuana appears to be headed for passage. A joint poll conducted in early September by The Hill and Emerson College showed that 63% of the respondents would vote “yes” on Amendment 3, with 27% saying “no” and the remaining 9% undecided.
That kind of backing support is a boon for Trulieve, who say they want to expand access to high quality and safe marijuana to their consumers.
In an interview with Caplin News, Trulieve spokesperson Steve Vancore said the company considers itself an industry leader that wants to use its influence to push back against the illicit drug market.
If a Floridian is part of the 17% of Americans that smoke cannabis, Vancore says their options would be to either get a medical card from a qualified physician or buy it off the street and risk it being laced with drugs like ketamine or fentanyl.
“Smoking marijuana shouldn’t be Russian Roulette,” said Vancore. “If you buy it, you can consume it in limited quantities in the privacy of your own home, away from other people, so you don’t have to worry about it being unsafe.”
Smart & Safe Florida spokesperson Morgan Hill says that people who don’t consume marijuana also stand to gain from passing Amendment 3.
Hill cites a financial statement made by Florida officials in 2023, which projected Amendment 3 generating between $195 and $431 million in new tax revenue.
“That’s money that can be allocated by our state legislature to schools, police, offices, infrastructure – any type of public program could benefit,” said Hill.
Monopoly in the making?
Opponents of Amendment 3 say Trulieve is creating a monopoly.
Among those opposing the amendment are Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican Senate President-designate Ben Albritton. But former President Donald Trump is publicly supporting the amendment.
“It’s basically a license to have it anywhere you want,” DeSantis said during an April 4 press conference. “No time, place, and manner restrictions. This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns; it will reduce the quality of life.”
The Tampa Bay Times reported that the Vote No on 3 is staffed with DeSantis allies, including his chief of staff.
Said Albritton in a statement: “Legalizing recreational use will accelerate our behavioral health crisis, pose harm to our children at critical stages of development and increase impaired driving on our roads.”
In its ad, the No on 3 coalition claims the amendment “entrenches their monopoly, bans home-grown pot, and gives special licenses to select corporations. They wrote it. They rigged it. And they are hoping you fall for it.”
Trulieve counters by pointing to the 25 other licensed medical marijuana chains that are active in Florida, with the licenses of 22 more chains being held back indefinitely by Gov. Ron DeSantis since 2022. License renewal fees also cost medical-marijuana operators $1.3 million biannually.
Vancore also points to the language of Amendment 3 itself, where it states that Florida lawmakers could allow for companies outside of major medical marijuana treatment centers to acquire licenses and distribute their own cannabis products.
“Look at the amendment itself,” said Vancore. “ Somebody could make the argument that Trulieve, who as you noted is funding this campaign, is creating more competition for itself.”
Personal cultivation of marijuana is currently illegal in Florida.
Jessica Spencer, Directory of Advocacy at No on 3, says Trulieve’s support of Amendment 3 is instead motivated by corporate greed.
Spencer points to statements cannabis business leaders have made about the Florida market growing to $6 billion if commercial use is legalized and likened Trulive’s potential ubiquity to Walmart or CVS. She sees this changing Florida for the worse.
“We cannot go by a simple, benign ballot title of adult personal use of marijuana, because that’s not really what it’s about,” said Spencer. “This is about a monopoly of mega marijuana corporations coming into our state, and this is not about personal freedom.”
Rather than providing a safer alternative purchasing street weed, Spencer instead expects recreational weed legalization to bolster the black market.
With the extra taxes and fees that may be pinned to the cost of storefront cannabis, Spencer sees some Floridians turning to a less expensive source: drug dealers.
“We’ve seen in every state, it doesn’t go away. The black markets are thriving,” said Spencer.
If Amendment 3 passes in November, there will be a six month delay before the measure takes effect.
Vancore expects the Florida legislature to use that time wisely by establishing new rules and bumpers that players in the cannabis industry will adhere to.
“Americans and Floridians are already consuming marijuana,” said Vancore. “Let’s regulate it. Let’s make it safer.”
H/T: www.wlrn.org
