close
close

Guiltandivy

Source for News

    • Gruters supports Amendment 3 before the election
    Update Information

    Gruters supports Amendment 3 before the election

    Kathleen William Posted on

    play

    State Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) fully supports Floridians' right to light up – as long as they keep it indoors.

    Gruters is urging Floridians to pass Amendment 3 in the Nov. 5 general election, which would legalize recreational marijuana use for adults 21 and older as a constitutional provision. The senator noted the amendment's safety measures in his enthusiastic endorsement, noting that the regulation would curb the risks of purchasing marijuana from illegal dealers and prevent incarceration for possession of the drug.

    Choose: More than 100,000 Manatee County voters cast ballots in the general election

    Florida joins Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota in voting to legalize recreational marijuana. Adults could possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana and up to 3 grams of cannabis concentrate. The amendment appearing on Florida ballots is listed below:

    “Permits adults 21 years of age or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for nonmedical personal use by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; permits medical marijuana treatment centers and other state-licensed facilities to purchase, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and supplies.”

    Recreational use of marijuana is already legal in 24 states and Washington DC

    Gruters' 11th push for the amendment comes as he continues to vocally advocate for a ban on smoking in public places, which he has worked toward throughout his Senate term. He supported a bill giving local governments the authority to ban smoking on beaches, and the Senate voted to pass it in 2022. Sarasota County implemented its own smoking ban on parks and beaches the next year.

    The change does not prohibit the state legislature from regulating the “time, place and manner” of recreational marijuana use, something Gruters plans to work toward in next year’s legislative session. He announced in August that he would introduce a bill to ban smoking in all public places and reiterated his intention Monday at a news conference at the Trulieve marijuana dispensary on Beneva Road.

    “We will ban all forms of smoking and all forms of public consumption, except perhaps your room,” Gruters said. “We’re going to make sure we do this the Florida way and the right way.”

    Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers, who spoke at the press conference with Gruters on Monday, said the change will allow regulated marijuana dispensaries to stop children from using their products. The lack of bright colors, inclusion of warning labels and child-resistant packaging would make access more difficult and deter children from what could be mistaken for candy without the safety precautions, Rivers said.

    “I know this may be hard for people to accept, but the information out there shows that statistically our youth are actually safer when cannabis is legalized,” Rivers said.

    Florida's marijuana industry is expected to gain between $150 million and $450 million within the year if Amendment 3 passes, and marijuana companies like Trulieve have supported the amendment. According to campaign finance records from the Florida Division of Elections, the company donated more than $122 million to candidates and political action committees in Florida during the 2024 election cycle — including $72 million to Smart and Safe Florida, the amendment's sponsor.

    Trulieve also donated $1,000 to Gruters' 2022 re-election campaign, according to campaign finance records. The company did not donate to its bid for Florida's chief financial officer in 2026: a candidacy supported by the former president. Donald Trump, whom Gruters officially announced in May.

    Tax referendum means millions for Sarasota County schools. This is how it works

    Gruters' support of Amendment 3 puts him in line with Trump, who has also publicly endorsed it, but puts him at odds with Gov. Ron DeSantis. The governor has urged Florida voters to reject the ballot item, coming under fire from Gruters, state Sen. Jason Pizzo (D-Hollywood) and others for using $50 million in taxpayer money to defeat the ballot item.

    Opponents like DeSantis argued during an appearance at the Escambia County Sheriff's Office last week that passage of Amendment 3 would free pharmacies from any civil or criminal liability and would only help boost corporate profits. But Gruters and other supporters contend that legalizing recreational marijuana is a matter of safely exercising freedom.

    “It's about safety. It's about decriminalization. It’s about pulling up the guard rails,” said Gruters. “If you believe Florida is the state of freedom, then this is the next step.”

    Contact Herald-Tribune growth and development reporter Heather Bushman at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @hmb_1013.

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Kathleen William
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads