The Florida Young Republicans have endorsed the state’s recreational marijuana ballot measure.
The move by the group, which defines itself as “Florida’s premier young conservative leadership organization,” conflicts with ardent opposition launched by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party of Florida. But it comes a couple of days after former President Donald Trump issued his own endorsement.
“The Florida Young Republicans hereby stand with President Trump on his positions regarding the Florida ballot measures,” the group said in a statement. “We back the President’s stance on FL Amendment 3 to legalize cannabis.”
The statement was included in a press release sent by Smart & Safe Florida, the group running the amendment campaign. It’s mostly been funded by Trulieve, the state’s largest medical marijuana operator.
“We are honored to have the support of the Florida Young Republicans, yet another example of the expansive coalition behind legalizing recreational adult use marijuana,” said Morgan Hill, Smart & Safe Florida’s spokesperson. “When Floridians go to the voting booth to vote for Amendment 3, they’re voting to expand their individual freedoms and build a safer, healthier Florida.”
Amendment 3, if it gets at least 60% of the vote, would allow non-medical marijuana possession of up to 3 ounces, with no more than 5 grams in concentrated form, for those who are 21 years old and up.
DeSantis and his allies have thrown copious criticisms at the measure, including that it’s written in a way that prevents the state from being able to regulate recreational marijuana. That’s something supporters like Sen. Joe Gruters of Sarasota, a former Republican Party of Florida chair, call “intellectually dishonest.”
This story was published Tallahassee Democrat