Gov. Ron DeSantis is again sounding the alarm about what he sees as potential consequences of a constitutional amendment that could legalize marijuana in Florida, misrepresenting it along the way.
"I mean the amendment language says that there can be no penalties for use or possession, civil criminal, anything. I think it's going to be very difficult for businesses to operate without that infringing on them," DeSantis said Wednesday in Tampa, where he signed the state budget.
"I think you're going to see people, you will be able to bring 20 joints to an elementary school. Is that really going to be good for the state of Florida? I don't think so."
The Florida Supreme Court gave its approval in April to the Adult Personal Use of Marijuana citizen initiative, which could allow people to possess three ounces of flower or five grams of concentrate.
The Legislature would be permitted to enact laws consistent with the amendment, including permitting recreational-use dispensaries to compete with the medical companies in the Florida market. But DeSantis continues to insist that there would be no such legislative input, and as he has previously, he bashed the Supreme Court for allowing the language to go in front of voters.
"I was just being downtown here in Tampa. If that marijuana passes, this will smell like marijuana. Like when you go outside, it will because it's written so broadly," DeSantis said. "How the court let that language on the ballot, I will never understand; you read the language, it does not do justice."
The Court noted after approving the language that its role was limited.
"Our role is narrow — we assess only whether the amendment conforms to the constitutionally mandated single-subject requirement, whether the ballot summary meets the statutory standard for clarity, and whether the amendment is facially invalid under the federal constitution. In light of those limited considerations, we approve the proposed amendment for placement on the ballot," the Court ruled with a 5-2 majority.
DeSantis will fight this amendment, as well as a legalized abortion push and battles in local races, with a new Freedom Fund political committee.
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