{"id":75193,"date":"2024-05-10T04:05:25","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T12:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2024\/05\/10\/florida-marijuana-legalization-measure-has-enough-support-to-pass-in-internal-polling-ceo-of-company-funding-campaign-says\/"},"modified":"2024-05-10T12:45:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T20:45:51","slug":"florida-marijuana-legalization-measure-has-enough-support-to-pass-in-internal-polling-ceo-of-company-funding-campaign-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2024\/05\/10\/florida-marijuana-legalization-measure-has-enough-support-to-pass-in-internal-polling-ceo-of-company-funding-campaign-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Marijuana Legalization Measure Has Enough Support To Pass In Internal Polling, CEO Of Company Funding Campaign Says"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The CEO of a top marijuana company is pushing back against recent surveys showing insufficient support to pass a Florida legalization ballot initiative this November, claiming internal polling shows the measure ahead by a comfortable margin.<\/p>\n

After the state Supreme Court cleared the proposal for ballot placement, rejecting a constitutional challenge from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R), two polls came out indicating that the Smart & Safe Florida campaign didn\u2019t have the required 60 percent support for passage.<\/p>\n

But in an interview with Cheddar on Thursday, Tulieve CEO Kim Rivers dismissed the surveys, saying \u201cdon\u2019t believe everything you\u2019re hearing\u201d when it comes to the two most recent polls \u201cin particular.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would not put our stock in those polls,\u201d she said, adding that there are more \u201clegitimate polls\u201d from the past year that show the legalization measure \u201cwell over\u201d the 60 percent threshold for passage.<\/p>\n

Tulieve isn\u2019t running the campaign, but it has been the main financial backer of the initiative, contributing nearly $50 million.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur internal numbers remain incredibly strong and closer to 70 [percent], actually than 60 [percent],\u201d she said. \u201cSo [there\u2019s] strong bipartisan support across the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rivers also said<\/a> during Thursday\u2019s interview that one recent poll she was disputing included \u201cover 10 percent\u201d non-registered voters.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear what she was specifically referring to, but a USA Today\/Ipsos survey that was released last month disaggregated between the general public and registered voters. It found that 56 percent of Florida registered voters and 49 percent of Florida adults overall back the cannabis measure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A separate Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and Mainstreet Research poll found that only\u00a0a 47 percent plurality of voters back the cannabis initiative<\/a>, compared to 35 percent opposed and 18 percent undecided.<\/p>\n

Marijuana Moment reached out to Trulieve and the Smart & Safe Florida campaign for clarification. A Trulieve spokesperson said Rivers was referring to a survey that took place \u201cthis spring\u201d without further elaborating. A campaign spokesperson declined to comment when reached by phone.<\/p>\n

Later in the Cheddar interview, Rivers responded to a question about the market potential for her company if cannabis is legalized in Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that Florida could be a $6 billion market opportunity,\u201d she said. \u201cWe currently have just under 900,000 medical patients\u2014but look, there\u2019s 22 million residents and 138 million unique tourist visits in Florida. So this market could be massive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Thank you \u2066\u2066\u2066@cheddar<\/a>\u2069 for having me on to talk @Trulieve<\/a> earnings! With a beat across all markets, we are ready for the road ahead! #YesOn3<\/a><\/p>\n

Cannabis Rescheduling Could be the \u2018First Domino\u2019 to Federal Reform https:\/\/t.co\/9FODCQuZF6<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kim Rivers (@rivers_kim) May 9, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cTruly we are the market leader. We have 135 locations currently in the state of Florida\u2014 over three million square feet of cultivation and production capacity\u2014so you know, for us, of course it could be a game changer,\u201d Rivers said.<\/p>\n

While the campaign hasn\u2019t shared internal polling, it is the case that prior surveys have shown the initiative in a more comfortable position than the two most recent public polls did. A University of North Florida (UNF) poll released last November found nearly 70 percent of voters are in favor of the reform, for example<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Florida Republican Party officially come out against a marijuana legalization initiative over the weekend<\/a>, clearing the way for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to raise money to fund an opposition campaign against the measure.<\/p>\n

DeSantis also previously\u00a0predicted voters will reject the marijuana initiative in November<\/a>\u00a0and argued that passage would \u201creduce the quality of life\u201d in the state.<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,400 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Economic analysts from the Florida legislature and DeSantis\u2019s office, estimate that the marijuana legalization initiative would\u00a0generate between $195.6 million and $431.3 million<\/a>\u00a0in new sales tax revenue annually if voters enact it. 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

If approved, the measure would change the state Constitution to allow existing medical cannabis companies in the state, such as Trulieve, the campaign\u2019s main financial contributor, 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 would be able to purchase and possess up to one ounce 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

Nearly all of the campaign\u2019s financial backing has come from existing medical marijuana businesses, predominantly multi-state operators. Recently, the Florida Division of Elections (DOE)\u00a0released the campaign finance activity report from the first quarter of the year<\/a>, showing nearly $15 million in new contributions.<\/p>\n

Trulieve, the main financial backer of the initiative, led the pack again with $9.225 million in donations during the first quarter. That follows the company previously contributing\u00a0about $40 million as advocates\u00a0worked to collect more than one million signatures to qualify for ballot placement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s CEO said recently that, contrary to the governor\u2019s claims, legalization\u00a0could actually \u201cimprove quality of life\u201d for residents<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what the Smart & Safe Florida marijuana legalization initiative would accomplish:<\/strong><\/p>\n