JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s the final push to sway voters on Amendment 3 before the Nov. 5 election.
There are many television ads both for and against legalizing adult-use marijuana in Florida. One new anti-pot ad boasts that weed is packaged like candy and could endanger children.
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That sent the CEO of one of the biggest marijuana companies in Florida and the nation on a mission to “set the record straight.”
News4JAX spoke one-on-one with Trulieve’s CEO Kim Rivers about the safety of state-regulated marijuana products.
Rivers gave us a live demonstration of exactly how marijuana products are packaged. The products are white and opaque with no colors at all on the packaging.
That’s a requirement under Florida law she doesn’t expect to change if recreational weed is legalized in November.
A 30-second advertisement by the No on 3 campaign features an emergency medicine specialist in California warning Floridians against legalizing marijuana. She recounts the many times she’s seen children rushed to the ER with marijuana poisoning saying that “weed is packaged like candy.”
Rivers said the messaging is just not true. Her company has invested more than $80 million to get Amendment 3 passed in November.
“The only way, candidly, to protect our kids is to legalize. And why do I say that? Because marijuana is already here,” Rivers said. “The products that are being shown in some of those in some of those advertisements, are not and will not be sold in the state of Florida. And we fully anticipate that the legislature will continue these regulations moving forward, and we are absolutely supportive, because, again, this is an adult use regulated market.”
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Rivers is making stops all over Florida this week campaigning for the measure. Most important, she says, is setting the record straight about what legal weed packaging looks like in Florida.
She showed News4JAX a “gel” or edible marijuana product which was clearly marked as THC with warning labels and child-proof packaging.
“I think it’s really important for people to see this firsthand. So this is what we call a gel. We cannot call them gummies. We do not call them gummies. We call them gels. This is a cannabis gel that’s available today on the market. So, you can see it’s very boring. It’s white, opaque, and no color on the package whatsoever. That’s per Florida law. Every single item on this package has been approved by the Department of Health,” Rivers said.
Walking into a Trulieve store feels more like walking into a pharmacy than a weed shop. Trulieve Medical Director Dr. Terel Newton said that’s intentional.
“Nothing appeals to children, so everything is more or less geared toward adults. It’s kind of bland, almost,” Newton said.
Dr. Newton also warned about the dangers of street drugs that are not lab-tested. He said he’s personally seen patients rushed to the ER after ingesting unlabeled products and believes legalization will help prevent unnecessary deaths.
“That gummy was tested, and it had fentanyl in there and so this is what we’re trying to protect the public from,” Newton said. “This is what we’re trying to protect teens from, and really all consumers for products like these that are unregulated, that could have dangerous opioids or other contaminants in them.”
Rivers added, “Think back to alcohol prohibition, right? And think about, you know, again, people were making alcohol in their homes, in their bathtubs, etc. It was very dangerous. Anything could be in it. When you transition that into a safe, regulated market, right? It’s significantly more difficult for youth and teens to access it, and the same will happen with adult use marijuana here in Florida.”
While the Yes on 3 campaign advocates for the adult freedom of choice to use marijuana, those that are against Amendment 3 are emphasizing the downsides.
“It’s not about freedom—it’s about massive profits for a Big Weed, corporate cartel,” Casey DeSantis posted on social media.
As with all statewide ballot initiatives, Amendment 3 will require voter approval of 60% to pass. The Florida legislature will have to approve regulations for adult-use marijuana if it’s passed in the fall, much like the process for medical marijuana.
Governor Ron DeSantis, along with Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, are planning to hold a campaign roundtable on Thursday in Jacksonville.
The group said they are coming together “to educate the public on how the legalization of recreational marijuana will jeopardize the health and safety of Floridians and would lead to a lower quality of life for all.”