When it came to paying for the effort to get a recreational marijuana amendment on the 2024 ballot, Trulieve, a Tallahassee-based medical pot company, stood alone, donating $40 million.
Now that the Florida Supreme Court has allowed the measure to appear on the ballot as Amendment 3, other companies are joining the push to persuade voters to approve it.
According to state campaign finance reports, Smart & Safe Florida, the political committee behind the effort, raised nearly $14.9 million in the first quarter. Trulieve gave $9.25 million, or 62% of the total.
Verano Holdings, a Chicago-based medical pot company, gave $2.25 million; Boston-based Curaleaf gave $2 million; Greenthumb Industries and Ayr Wellness Inc. each gave $500,000 and Cresco Labs chipped in with $400,000.
With the exception of Trulieve, all the donations were recorded 10 days before the March 31 end of the quarter, just ahead of the April 1 decision of the court to approve the measure for the ballot.
The committee spent $593,000 last quarter, with the bulk of the funds going to consulting, accounting and legal services.
Amendment 3 would legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes by those over 21. It would also grant licensed medical marijuana treatment centers the ability to "acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute" marijuana and related products for such use.
The amendment also notes that it doesn't change federal law, which still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug that is illegal.
If 60% of voters approve the measure, it would take effect six months after the November election.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has criticized the amendment, saying other states that have approved similar measures haven't had positive experiences, and warned of the foul smell legalized weed brings to cities. Attorney General Ashley Moody argued against allowing the amendment on the ballot, but whether a more organized, vocal opposition to the amendment emerges during campaign season remains to be seen.
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