ron-desantis-shutterstock-copy copy

The most recent expression of support for legalizing cannabis in Florida came on Monday when the American Civil Liberty Union of Florida (ACLU-FL) announced it was backing the initiative, also known as <a href="https://drupal-cloudfront.benzinga.com/topic/amendment-3">Amendment 3</a>, which goes to a vote in the upcoming <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election">November elections</a>.



&#8220;We proudly endorse Amendment 3, to legalize cannabis for recreational use in Florida. The time is now to end the failed drug war in Florida and to legalize it,&#8221; wrote the ACLU-FL Monday on X. 



Get Benzinga&#8217;s exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://newsletteremail.benzinga.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. If you&#8217;re serious about the business, you can&#8217;t afford to miss out.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Florida voters have the opportunity to legalize and repair over a half-century of failed policies criminalizing cannabis by voting Yes on 3. <a href="https://t.co/uD7dfCUIvT">pic.twitter.com/uD7dfCUIvT</a>&mdash; ACLU of Florida (@ACLUFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACLUFL/status/1828106419503329624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">DeSantis&#8217; Anti-Cannabis Warpath: Falling Out With Friends, Not Enough Money</h1>



Meanwhile, Gov Ron DeSantis is very much on the warpath against legal weed in his state as the polls move in the direction of approval for the initiative. 



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/08/40496563/ron-desantis-staffer-peeved-flordias-cannabis-legalization-initiative-has-no-home-grow-provision">Ron DeSantis Staffer Peeved Florida&#8217;s Cannabis Legalization Initiative Has No Home-Grow Provision — Shocked? We&#8217;ll Explain</a>



The Floridian recently <a href="https://floridianpress.com/2024/08/desantis-faces-a-high-uphill-climb-on-amendment-3-marijuana-legalization/">noted</a> DeSantis faces an uphill battle in his struggle to defeat Amendment 3, not the least of which likely includes Trump&#8217;s recent innuendo-drenched <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/08/40561136/trump-dislikes-having-people-in-jail-for-cannabis-will-he-legalize-if-elected-or-just-trying-to-">remarks on cannabis</a> including his distaste for people being incarcerated for weed.



&#8220;However, what might be the most interesting fact surrounding the millions of dollars campaigning for and against the amendment is that members of Gov. DeSantis' inner circle, both now and during his presidential campaign, are pushing for the passage of Amendment 3 with millions of dollars behind them,&#8221; wrote The Floridian.



To wit, two firms connected to a super PAC backing DeSantis,&nbsp;Axiom Strategies&nbsp;and&nbsp;Vanguard Field Strategies,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/23/09/34745991/ron-desantis-anti-pot-stance-clashes-with-top-supporter-pushing-for-legalization-of-recreational">have received millions</a> from an organization advocating for Amendment 3.



DeSantis loyalist and longtime advisor Nick Iarossi of Capital City Consulting also happens to have Trulieve Cannabis Corp TCNNF — one of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/08/40486924/ken-griffins-12m-donation-and-desantiss-anti-cannabis-pacs-face-off-against-pro-legalization-gro">major financial backers</a> of the Amendment 3 campaign — as a client with his firm.



More recently, former Republican Party of Florida Chair <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/07/40085870/ron-desantis-and-gop-stalwart-feud-over-cannabis-legalization-trump-floridas-top-cops-also-weigh">Joe Gruters came out in favor</a> of cannabis legalization via Amendment 3. 



As the ballot vote gets closer, it appears Florida&#8217;s politicians and businesses are starting to see benefits in its passage.



Now Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/08/40561136/trump-dislikes-having-people-in-jail-for-cannabis-will-he-legalize-if-elected-or-just-trying-to-">Trump Dislikes Having People In Jail For Cannabis: Will He Legalize If Elected Or Just Trying To Appeal To VP Harris&#8217; Voters?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Cannabis

Government

News

Regulations

Politics

Legal

Ron DeSantis' Anti-Cannabis Warpath Strewn With Dissenting GOP Colleagues, Not Enough Money, Polls Favoring Legalization - Trulieve Cannabis (OTC:TCNNF)

Maureen Meehan

Trulieve Cannabis

Amendment 3

Donald Trump

Florida

Florida cannabis legalization

Ron DeSantis

TCNNF

Ron DeSantis' Anti-Cannabis Warpath Strewn With Dissenting GOP Colleagues, Not Enough Money, Polls Favoring Legalization

Trulieve Cannabis Corp

Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information).