JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Amendment 3, which would’ve legalized the use of recreational marijuana in Florida, failed Tuesday after falling short of the 60% threshold needed for its approval.
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This initiative would’ve allowed adults 21 years old and older to possess about 3 ounces of marijuana, and it would’ve allowed businesses already growing and selling marijuana to sell the drug.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried released a statement following the results and blamed the amendment’s failure on Gov. Ron DeSantis and his “illegal campaign” to sway Floridians to vote “no.”
“The failure of Amendment 3 is a direct result of illegal campaign activity by Ron DeSantis and the Executive Office of the Governor,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “Using millions of dollars of opioid settlement money and breaking multiple statutes along the way, Ron used the full force of the state to lie to voters about the effects of cannabis legalization — from enlisting state agencies to produce illegal anti-cannabis propaganda to putting his own Chief of Staff in charge of the campaign effort.
“Floridians everywhere should be outraged at this stunning government overreach. The so-called party of ‘small government’ has turned Florida into an authoritarian hellscape, and they used taxpayer dollars to do it. Florida Democrats will continue to do everything in our power to hold these extremists accountable for their actions.”
Nikki Fried, FDP Chair
In late October, Republican State Sen. Joe Gruters claimed that state agencies misused millions of dollars in taxpayer money on the campaign to sway Floridians to vote “no” on Amendment 3.
“No matter where you stand on an issue, this is still a democracy, and in a democracy, we do not spend taxpayer dollars in advance of a political issue,” Gruters said. “Tax dollars are meant to be spent on our police, schools, roads and other public programs that make our state great, not political agendas.”
The Tampa Bay Times reported on Oct. 25, that state records showed Florida used millions of dollars in settlement money from opioid manufacturers and distributors on an ad campaign against marijuana. The report states that DCF spent $4 million in September to pay a marketing agency for an “advertising campaign aimed at educating Floridian families and youth about the dangers of marijuana, opioid, and drug use.”
On Oct. 4, Democratic State Sen. Jason Pizzo filed a lawsuit that claimed that the Florida Department of Transportation improperly spent state money to oppose the ballot measure.
That lawsuit came after a television ad, sponsored by FDOT, about the dangers of driving after using marijuana. The lawsuit said the ad warned, “DUI crashes increase in states with legalized marijuana putting everyone at risk.” Pizzo said the goal of that lawsuit was not to criminalize anyone, but to ask for the “conduct to stop.”
A Leon County circuit judge dismissed that lawsuit, and wrote, in part, that state law gives the department “budgetary authority to spend funds on public service commercials, and the commercial in question does not mention Amendment 3, voting or the election.”
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DeSantis and his wife Casey DeSantis hosted several panels across the state to speak out against the amendment. In most of those panels, they were joined by several Florida sheriffs and other community leaders including Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook who all said legalization would be bad for the state.
The main argument against the amendment revolved around the company behind a multimillion-dollar dollar push to legalize weed, Trulieve. They said the amendment was written to benefit and “shield” that company from liability and accountability.
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As Tuesday’s results began to show early signs that Amendment 3 wouldn’t pass, News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney said the “organized opposition” during the last couple of months was likely a contributing factor in the amendment’s failure.
“It was projected early in the polling that both of these [Amendments 3 and 4] would pass,” Mullaney said. “It’s become much more competitive.”
Shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday, Amendment 3 had officially failed.
The director of the “Vote No on 3″ campaign sent a statement following the results:
“Even after spending over $150 million -- the most in any drug legalization effort in American history -- the people of Florida saw through Amendment 3’s web of deception and defeated this corporate power grab.”
Smart and Safe Florida, which helped push the “Yes on 3″ campaign, released this statement:
“Tonight, a strong majority of Floridians voted in support of legalizing recreational marijuana for adults. While the results of Amendment 3 did not clear the 60 percent threshold, we are eager to work with the governor and legislative leaders who agree with us on decriminalizing recreational marijuana for adults, addressing public consumption, continuing our focus on child safety, and expanding access to safe marijuana through home grow.”
The Florida GOP also sent a statement celebrating not only Amendment 3’s failure but all of the Republican wins.
“Florida Republicans should take a bow. We knew we were in a strong position to win before today, but we are overwhelmed by the immense support Florida voters gave our Republican candidates—starting with President Donald J. Trump, Senator Rick Scott, our Florida Congressional delegation, and the rejection of the dangerous and deceptive Amendments 3 and 4,” said Chairman Evan Power.