Florida Gov. Says Cannabis Legalization Initiative Should Not Have Been Approved for Ballots

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said on Tuesday that Amendment 3, the state’s cannabis legalization amendment that will be considered by voters this November, should not have been approved for the ballot, the News Service of Florida reports.

The Florida Supreme Court approved the initiative in April for this year’s general election ballot despite legal challenges raised by the attorney general. Notably, the governor previously predicted that voters would get to decide the issue for themselves this November — but this DeSantis told a Florida Sheriffs Association conference that the legalization initiative would go beyond what’s stated in its summary and should have been rejected by the court.

“When you read the summary, it doesn’t tell you really what the amendment says. That’s why it should not have been allowed on the ballot. I mean, the court’s job is to not allow things on the ballot if the summary is not an accurate reflection.” — DeSantis, during a Florida Sheriffs’ Association conference, in the report

If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would legalize the possession of up to three ounces of cannabis for personal use and up to five grams of cannabis concentrates. The initiative would also allow medical cannabis dispensaries to sell adult-use cannabis but it stops short of legalizing cannabis home grows.

As a constitutional amendment, the proposal will require at least 60% voter support to pass.

A recent poll commissioned by anti-cannabis advocates with the “Vote No On 3” campaign found that 64% of likely Florida voters support the legalization proposal, the report said. A Fox News poll in June, meanwhile, found 66% likely voter support for the proposal.