Florida AG’s Court Filing Says Cannabis Legalization Question ‘Misleads’ Voters to Benefit Trulieve

In a new brief filed with the Florida Supreme Court challenging the proposed constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis in the state, lawyers for Attorney General Ashley Moody said the proposal “misleads” voters to benefit Trulieve, the state’s largest medical cannabis company, the Tampa Free Press reports. Trulieve has contributed most of the $40 million to the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is leading the legalization campaign. 

In the brief, Solicitor General Henry Whitaker said the ballot summary “misleads in ways that, though sometimes subtle, are likely to influence voters – and to do so in a way that entrenches the sponsor’s monopolistic stranglehold on the marijuana market to the detriment of Floridians.” 

In a statement, Trulieve defended the ballot language as “clear, states the chief purpose of the amendment and – without a doubt – covers one and only one subject.”  

“For these reasons, we trust the court will agree that the voters of Florida should have the opportunity to vote to allow adults in Florida the freedom to use cannabis for their personal consumption.” — Trulieve, in a statement, via the Free Press 

Moody is asking the state Supreme Court to toss the question. The state Supreme Court will ultimately determine whether the ballot initiative covers only a single subject and is not confusing to voters and whether it will put to voters.