Although former President Donald Trump had predicted that Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 and over, would pass in November, he has now confirmed that he will vote for it.
“As a Floridian, I will be voting YES on Amendment 3 this November,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social page Sunday night.
“As President, we will continue to focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug, and work with Congress to pass common sense laws, including safe banking for state authorized companies, and supporting states rights to pass marijuana laws, like in Florida, that work so well for their citizens,” Trump added in his post.
Trump is now the biggest Republican in the country to come out in support of the measure, which, if approved, would make Florida the 25th state to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis.
In announcing his support, Trump is going against the wishes of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who continues to aggressively lobby Floridians to vote against the amendment.
On a Truth Social post written on Aug. 31, Trump predicted that “[w]hether people like it or not, this will happen through the appeal of the Voters, so it should be done correctly,” adding that the Florida Legislature needs to “create laws that prohibit the use of it in public spaces, so we do not smell marijuana everywhere we go, like we do in many of the Democrat run Cities.”
The concern that the state will reek from the stench of marijuana has been a frequent line of criticism by DeSantis. That led Sarasota-area Republican state Sen. Joe Gruters to announce last month that if Amendment 3 is approved, he’ll introduce legislation in 2025 banning smoking in all public places in Florida.
Gruters is a close ally of the former president and served as co-chair of his 2016 campaign for president in Florida. He is the only Republican state legislator who has come out in support of the constitutional amendment to date, making him the target of criticism from members of DeSantis’ administration on social media.
‘Easy target’
But those same DeSantis aides have been silent when it comes to Trump’s support. Gruters told the Phoenix last week that he understands why he’s become the safer Republican for DeSantis’ people to attack.
“I think it’s a lot harder for them to make it about the president and attack Trump, so I’m an easy target, but here’s the deal,” Gruters said.
“I’m walking in partnership with the president on this issue and a lot of other issues. My whole goal is to help him win, and we need to put aside some of these differences until after the election.
“This is obviously a winning move, politically. I think it’s common sense — the polls have it somewhere between 64% and 68%. I think [DeSantis’ staffers] are wrong on it and listen — them attacking me does not bother me at all. If I’m the focus, it’s probably better they focus on me than anybody else, anyway.”
A poll released by Emerson College Friday of 815 Floridians showed Amendment 3 winning 64% of the vote. Another public opinion survey, from Ragnar Research, conducted last month but not released until last week, showed the measure getting 65% support. The proposal needs 60% to become law.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: [email protected]. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and X.
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