Florida Governor’s Cannabis Opposition Campaign Has Only Raised $10,000

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) new political action committee formed to oppose the state’s upcoming cannabis legalization ballot initiative has raised just $10,000 as of last week, according to a Florida Politics report.

While the organization was formed only five weeks ago, its slow fundraising start could signal the general disinterest in the anti-cannabis campaign. Additionally, the campaign is now set to square off against a multi-year legalization effort that has raised more than $60 million.

“We are working with a lot of stakeholders who are interested in making sure that we defeat Amendment 3, which would basically do marijuana, wherever you want, just smoke it, take it. And it would turn Florida into San Francisco, or Chicago, or some of these places. We already have medical marijuana, it’s out there. But we got to keep our streets clean, we cannot have every town smelling like marijuana.” — DeSantis, via Florida Politica

Campaign finance records show the $10,000 came from a sole contributor, the former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania Keith Rothfus (R), Marijuana Moment reported. While in office, Rothfus voted repeatedly against protections for state-level medical cannabis programs and opposed cannabis banking reforms and policies to relax the Veterans Affairs’ medical cannabis rules.

Florida’s proposed ballot initiative would amend the state Constitution to legalize cannabis for adults aged 21 or older; adults would also be allowed to purchase cannabis from the state’s existing medical cannabis dispensaries. Under state law, constitutional amendment ballot initiatives require at least 60% voter support to pass.

A Fox News poll last month found that two-thirds (66%) of Florida voters support the state’s upcoming cannabis legalization bid.