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If Florida voters approve a marijuana legalization initiative at the ballot, that could actually \u201cimprove quality of life\u201d for residents\u2014in contrast with the governor\u2019s recent comments to the contrary\u2014the CEO of a multi-state cannabis operator that has financially supported the campaign says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sky has not fallen\u201d with Florida\u2019s implementation of medical cannabis legalization under an earlier initiative, \u201cand folks see that choice is a good thing,\u201d Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said during an interview on The Dales Report\u2019s \u201cTrade To Black\u201d podcast on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you compare marijuana to alcohol\u2026the data is very, very clear that cannabis, by all metrics\u2014whether you\u2019re talking about DUIs, whether you\u2019re talking about hospital visits, whether you\u2019re talking about deaths, when you\u2019re talking about long-term side effects\u2014is significantly safer and should be an alternative that is offered to Floridians,\u201d she said in response to a question submitted by Marijuana Moment. \u201cI would actually say that I think we can improve quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Will Floridians ultimately pass the measure with at least 60 percent of the vote as is required for constitutional amendments<\/a> in the state? Rivers says, \u201cHell yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n The comments about quality-of-life implications of cannabis legalization follow Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019s (R) prediction that voters will reject the marijuana initiative this November<\/a>. He called the proposal \u201cradical\u201d and argued that it will \u201creduce the quality of life\u201d in the state.<\/p>\n The marijuana legalization measure was only officially cleared for the ballot last week after\u00a0the Florida Supreme Court\u00a0rejected the state attorney general\u2019s constitutional challenge<\/a> seeking to invalidate it.<\/p>\n Rivers, who\u2019s multi-state cannabis operator company Trulieve donated $40 million to the Smart & Safe Florida campaign to secure over one million signatures<\/a> for ballot placement, reiterated that she disagrees with DeSantis\u2019s position on the measure because voters stand to benefit from \u201chaving an alternative [to alcohol] that is absolutely, scientifically, evidence-backed\u201d healthier.<\/p>\n DeSantis, for his part, said last week that enactment of the reform would mean \u201cthis state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns,\u201d which seems to be a particular concern for the governor, who has previously complained about the smell of cannabis in other jurisdictions<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will reduce the quality of life,\u201d he said, adding that Florida already has a medical cannabis program that his administration implemented following voter approval of the reform in 2016.<\/p>\n \u201cDo we really need to do more with that?\u201d he asked. \u201cDo we want to have more marijuana in our communities? I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll work out well, but it is a very, very broad amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n Rivers said that \u201cDeSantis has been consistent for a long time around his comments around the smell and around, you know, not necessarily being excited about having marijuana everywhere. I think there\u2019s some additional education that needs to happen there, which we\u2019ve been working on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe amendment specifically allows for the legislature to come in and to regulate what\u2019s called \u2018time place and manner,\u2019 and to prohibit\u2014just like they do with alcohol use, just like they do with cigarette use\u2014consumption in certain places,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She also said that, in addition to questions about issues such as possession limits and tax rates for marijuana policy, the legislature is positioned to decide on another key policy consideration if voters pass legalization at the ballot: a possible home cultivation option for adults that is not comprised in the ballot initiative itself.<\/p>\n \u201cI sure hope so,\u201d Rivers said about the prospect of allowing home cultivation down the line, in response to another Marijuana Moment-submitted question, adding that advocates were careful not to include that allowance in the base measure because of a constitutional single-subject rule for the ballot.<\/p>\n If legalization is approved then, \u201cas a secondary step, you would come in and say, \u2018OK, home grow now is allowable,’\u201d she said. \u201cThat can be done just like anything, right? The legislative process or through amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n As drafted, the measure if approved would change the state Constitution to allow existing medical cannabis companies in the state like Trulieve to begin selling marijuana to all adults over 21. It contains a provision that would allow\u2014but not require\u2014lawmakers to take steps toward the approval of additional businesses. Home cultivation by consumers would not be allowed under the proposal as drafted.<\/p>\n Adults 21 and older would be able to purchase and possess up to three ounces of cannabis, only five grams of which could be marijuana concentrate products. The three-page measure also omits equity provisions favored by advocates such as expungements or other relief for people with prior cannabis convictions.<\/p>\n Separately, economic analysts from the Florida legislature and the the governor\u2019s office estimate that the marijuana legalization initiative would generate between $195.6 million and $431.3 million<\/a>\u00a0in new sales tax revenue annually if voters enact it. And those figures could increase considerably if lawmakers opted to impose an additional excise tax on cannabis transactions that\u2019s similar to the ones in place in other legalized states.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the Smart & Safe Florida marijuana legalization initiative would accomplish:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Here\u2019s the full text of the ballot title and summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAllows 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; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Florida Chamber of Commerce released a poll in January showing that a marijuana legalization initiative that may appear on the November ballot enjoys majority support from likely voters\u2014but not quite enough to meet the state\u2019s steep 60 percent threshold for passage<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other previous polls have found that\u00a0voters are well-positioned to pass the legalization initiative<\/a>\u00a0with more than enough support. For example, the University of North Florida put out a survey in December that showed 67 percent of voters back the proposal.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, there\u2019s significant interest in how\u00a0former President Donald Trump, a Florida resident, will vote on the cannabis initiative<\/a>, and whether he will publicly support or oppose it.<\/p>\n Also, a Florida bill that sought to\u00a0cap THC potency if voters approved the legalization initiative<\/a>\u00a0at the ballot died this session, much to the relief of cannabis advocates and stakeholders.<\/p>\n Legislation to\u00a0restrict consumable hemp products and ban delta-8 THC<\/a>\u00a0was approved by lawmakers and awaits DeSantis\u2019s action.<\/p>\n Separately, a House subcommittee recently advanced a medical marijuana bill that would\u00a0waive patient registration and renewal fees<\/a>\u00a0for service-disabled military veterans.<\/p>\n Despite his opposition to the initiative, DeSantis, the former GOP presidential candidate who dropped out of the race in January, previously accurately\u00a0predicted that the state\u2019s highest court would ultimately allow the measure on November\u2019s ballot<\/a>.<\/p>\n Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) successfully petitioned justices to\u00a0prevent an earlier 2022 legalization initiative from receiving voter consideration<\/a>.<\/p>\n DeSantis also weighed in on another relevant cannabis policy issue earlier this year when, while still a presidential candidate, he said that\u00a0he doesn\u2019t believe the federal gun ban for state-legal marijuana consumers is constitutional<\/a>. Florida\u2019s former agriculture commission, Nikki Fried,\u00a0brought a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the rule<\/a>, though the governor did not get involved.<\/p>\n Prior to dropping out, DeSantis also said that if elected president, he would\u00a0\u201crespect the decisions that states make\u201d on marijuana legalization<\/a>\u00a0despite his personal view that the reform has a \u201cnegative impact.\u201d<\/p>\n While DeSantis doubts the cannabis initiative will receive the requisite 60 percent of the vote at the upcoming election, the Smart & Safe Florida campaign behind the measure is optimistic. And they announced last week that they\u2019ve raised an additional $15 million from a variety of major cannabis companies<\/a>\u00a0as it gears up for an effort to raise awareness about the measure among voters.<\/p>\n Federal Officials Are Suddenly Seizing Marijuana From State-Licensed Businesses, Leaving Industry Perplexed<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The post Florida Marijuana Initiative Will \u2018Improve Quality Of Life\u2019 By Providing Alcohol Alternative, Top Cannabis CEO Says, Pushing Back Against DeSantis<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
If Florida voters approve a marijuana legalization initiative at the ballot, that could actually \u201cimprove quality of life\u201d for residents\u2014in contrast with the governor\u2019s recent comments to the contrary\u2014the CEO of a multi-state cannabis operator that has financially supported the campaign says. \u201cThe sky has not fallen\u201d with Florida\u2019s implementationContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":73874,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73873"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73873"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":73875,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73873\/revisions\/73875"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nRead More: Florida Marijuana Initiative Will \u2018Improve Quality Of Life\u2019 By Providing Alcohol Alternative, Top Cannabis CEO Says, Pushing Back Against DeSantis<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"