{"id":76584,"date":"2024-06-25T11:37:34","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T19:37:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2024\/06\/25\/desantis-says-florida-legalization-ballot-measure-would-protect-marijuana-rights-more-than-1st-and-2nd-amendments-protect-free-speech-and-gun-rights\/"},"modified":"2024-06-26T06:47:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T14:47:23","slug":"desantis-says-florida-legalization-ballot-measure-would-protect-marijuana-rights-more-than-1st-and-2nd-amendments-protect-free-speech-and-gun-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2024\/06\/25\/desantis-says-florida-legalization-ballot-measure-would-protect-marijuana-rights-more-than-1st-and-2nd-amendments-protect-free-speech-and-gun-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"DeSantis Says Florida Legalization Ballot Measure Would Protect Marijuana Rights More Than 1st And 2nd Amendments Protect Free Speech And Gun Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is again railing against a marijuana legalization ballot initiative, arguing that it would protect the right to use cannabis more strongly than the First Amendment protects free speech or the Second Amendment protects gun rights\u2014and again claiming that the reform has been a \u201cfailed experiment\u201d in states such as Colorado.<\/p>\n

At a press briefing on Tuesday, DeSantis was asked about the launch of his Florida Freedom Fund PAC<\/a>, which is being used to oppose the cannabis legalization ballot measure, as well as a separate abortion rights initiative, in the lead-up to the November election.<\/p>\n

The governor said the proposal would allow people to \u201cdo marijuana wherever you want\u2014just smoke it, take it, and it would turn Florida into San Francisco or Chicago or some of these places.\u201d<\/p>\n

He then reprised one of his chief complaints about the potential impact of legalization<\/a>: Smelling cannabis.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to keep our streets clean. We cannot have every town smelling like marijuana. We cannot have every hotel smelling\u2014theme parks,\u201d he said, adding that voters don\u2019t really understand the specifics of the legalization proposal and that ballot initiatives are generally \u201cso bogus.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis acknowledged that the state Supreme Court has a role in reviewing ballot language for constitutionality, and that a majority of justices determined that the marijuana measure met the legal standard. But while he previously correctly predicted the court would approve the initiative<\/a> following a challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody (R), he now says the two dissenting justices were \u201ccorrect\u201d in trying to block voters from deciding on the measure.<\/p>\n

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He also claimed that the measure as drafted would allow people to smoke marijuana indoors at restaurants. The Smart & Safe Florida campaign has pushed back against his prior arguments about public consumption, noting that the legislature is empowered to set restrictions as they see fit.<\/p>\n

DeSantis also claimed earlier this month that that if voters approve the marijuana legalization initiative, people \u201cwill be able to bring 20 joints to an elementary school\u201d<\/a>\u2014and he again complained about the prevalent odor of cannabis that he says would result from the reform.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow the amendment does not say you can do that, so I think that\u2019s an open question,\u201d the governor said on Tuesday. \u201cBut even if somehow that were right, once it\u2019s constitutional, law enforcement is not going to want to get involved. And so you\u2019re going to end up\u2014it\u2019s going to be like Colorado. Talk to the people of Colorado about what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no limitations in the amendment language,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd so I think what will happen is\u2014it\u2019s more broad, this amendment, for you to be able to possess and smoke pot than the First Amendment is, than the Second Amendment is, than like core amendments that grew out of the founding of this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis also said legalization has \u201cnot worked in any single place,\u201d and he challenged a recent ad from the campaign that promoted<\/a> regulating cannabis as an alternative to the status quo of people using untested cannabis from illicit sellers.<\/p>\n

When Colorado and California enacted legalization, \u201cit created a bigger black market. The drug cartels benefited from that,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a failed experiment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The governor has repeatedly pointed to Colorado\u2019s experience with legalization, making questionable claims about the impact of the reform, as an example of why Florida should not follow suit.<\/p>\n

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) pushed back against that criticism following similar remarks from DeSantis in January, with his office telling Marijuana Moment that the state of Colorado is \u201chappy\u201d to explain the advantages of marijuana legalization<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe facts are that Colorado voters approved the legalization of marijuana which is curbing the illicit market, getting dealers off the streets, reducing youth use, funding school construction, supporting jobs and Colorado\u2019s economy,\u201d the governor\u2019s spokesperson said at the time. \u201cColorado is happy to provide the Florida governor advice on how to increase economic and personal freedom like we have in the free state of Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, according to a Fox News poll released this month, two in three Florida voters support the cannabis initiative<\/a>\u2014with the issue proving more popular than the governor himself. The survey showed majority support for legalization across the political spectrum, too.<\/p>\n

Despite his opposition to the marijuana legalization, DeSantis\u00a0recently vetoed a bill to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids<\/a>\u00a0in his state. The action came amid reporting that the governor\u00a0planned to block the hemp prohibition legislation in hopes that the industry would return the favor<\/a>\u00a0by financially assisting in his effort to defeat the marijuana initiative.<\/p>\n

The governor has consistently argued that the state shouldn\u2019t go beyond the existing medical cannabis program<\/a>\u00a0and that broader reform would negatively impact the quality of life for Floridians. The Florida Republican Party also\u00a0formally came out against Amendment 3 last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Smart & Safe Florida separately announced in March that it was working to form a coalition of veterans<\/a>\u00a0to build voter support for the reform, and the campaign\u00a0has since formally launched that initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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