The CEO of a major marijuana company says she’s confident Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis( R) will admire the will of the people and apply a legalization action if choosers authorize it at the ballot this November — indeed if he’s presently campaigning against it and as another top state functionary is arguing that a recent auto crash allegedly involving cannabis is reason to bounce against the measure.
Kim Rivers, the principal superintendent of themulti-state cannabis driver Trulieve that’s financially supporting the Smart & Safe Florida crusade, also bandied sweats to strategically target announcements to make support for the legalization measure amid recent polling that has cast dubieties on its prospects of passage.
In an interview with The Dales Report on Friday, Rivers again challenged checks that have been released in the weeks since the Florida Supreme Court cleared the action for ballot placement. She reiterated that internal pates show the measure passing with a comfortable periphery, despite the steep 60 percent threshold needed to authorize a indigenous correction.
Asked about DeSantis’s recent commentary opposing the offer, Rivers said she is n’t induced that the governor’s position is “ 100 percent policy- grounded, ” and the crusade may be facing the review because its a “ derivate ” of the administration’s opposition to a separate revocation rights measure that the court also allowed to appear on the ballot following an unprofitable challenge.
“ I suppose there’s a lot of strategic discussion right now passing on revocation, and also I suppose that we ’re a little bit of a derivate of that, ” she said. “ I do suppose that Governor DeSantis historically has been absolutely a man who I suppose will continue to stand behind the will of the people once they ’ve spoken. ”
“Look, I mean, getting over 60 percent of the electorate to vote in favor of anything is a tall feat,” Rivers said, adding that “we will have to go through implementation, but I do not expect or anticipate that Governor DeSantis would put up massive roadblocks post-approval in November.”
She also discussed the recent launch of several advertisements in support of the campaign that are meant to educate voters and help close the gap ahead of Election Day. She said the media campaign “is primarily focused in certain areas of the state where we know, based on our data analytics, that there are a lot of folks who are persuadable.”
“Really, right now, we’re leaning into those messages that we’ve already test-messaged with a series of polls and questions and focus groups to just see, again, are they actually effective and moving folks off of maybe a likely yes or a neutral to all the way yes or in-the-bank voters,” she said. “So right now the goal for the short-term is to increase that number of in-the-bank voters—to get that as high as possible.”
“We know during campaigns that once negative advertising starts, the number will naturally slip some, so you want to have that starting point as high as possible,” she said.
Thank you to @TheDalesReport for having me on this morning to talk Schedule 3, #YesOn3 campaign in Florida and of course all things @Trulieve!
And if you want to get involved in the Florida movement for cannabis access please follow @SmartandSafeFl and sign up for alerts and… https://t.co/IWiFKNIFED
— Kim Rivers (@rivers_kim) May 17, 2024
Smart & Safe Florida independently blazoned in March that it was working to form a coalition of stagers to make namer support for the reform, and the crusade has since formally launched that action.
While opposition advertising might not have launched yet, state officers have made clear that they ’re against the legalization measure. That includes, most lately, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis( R).
Speaking with WESH 2 News last week, Patronis said a recent vehicular accident that killed eight people, involving a motorist who allegedly used marijuana and colorful tradition medicines including a benzodiazepine, should motivate people to bounce against the cannabis measure.
“ There are eight lives that are noway going to see their parents again because notoriety was abusing a substance that he may have indeed gotten immorally, ” he said, adding that while he honored the medical value of cannabis for certain cases, he’s a “ hard no ” on adult- use legalization.
“ I would err on the side of caution and bounce no. Right now, just allowing the choosers to go and make it recreational, ” he said. “ To me, that’s like giving a 9- time-old sprat the keys to the delicacy store. They will abuse it and take advantage of it in ways that aren’t in the stylish interest of their well- being. ”
The Florida Republican birthday party also formally pop out towards a marijuana legalization initiative this month, clearing the manner for DeSantis to raise cash to fund an competition marketing campaign in opposition to the measure.
DeSantis also formerly expected voters will reject the marijuana initiative in November and argued that passage could “reduce the great of life” in the country.
whether the officers’ feedback against the degree sway citizens in a meaningful way is but to be seen. however while the marketing campaign and agencies backing the degree remain positive approximately its potentialities this November, latest surveys maintain to elevate questions about that possibility.
for instance, a survey that became carried out for the Florida Chamber of trade by way of Cherry Communications determined that 58 percent of Florida probable voters again the legalization degree, in comparison to 37 percentage who oppose it and 5 percent who are undecided. As Rivers mentioned final week, however, the chamber has actively hostile the initiative.
even as the campaign hasn’t shared its inner polling, it’s miles the case that previous surveys have proven the initiative in a extra comfortable role than the two maximum latest public polls did. A college of North Florida (UNF) poll launched closing November determined nearly 70 percent of voters are in prefer of the reform, as an instance.
monetary analysts from the Florida legislature and DeSantis’s office, estimate that the marijuana legalization initiative would generate between $195.6 million and $431.three million in new sales tax sales annually if voters enact it. those figures ought to increase notably if lawmakers opted to impose an extra excise tax on hashish transactions that’s much like the ones in area in other legalized states.
If authorized, the degree would change the kingdom charter to allow present scientific cannabis agencies in the country, including Trulieve, the campaign’s most important monetary contributor, to start selling marijuana to all adults over 21. It carries a provision that would allow—however now not require—lawmakers to take steps towards the approval of extra organizations. home cultivation by consumers could no longer be allowed below the thought as drafted.
Adults might be able to purchase and possess up to at least one ounce of cannabis, handiest 5 grams of which might be marijuana pay attention merchandise. The three-web page measure also omits fairness provisions favored by way of advocates, along with expungements or different alleviation for human beings with prior hashish convictions.
nearly all the campaign’s financial backing has come from present medical marijuana groups, predominantly multi-nation operators. recently, the Florida division of Elections (DOE) launched the marketing campaign finance pastime document from the first quarter of the year, displaying nearly $15 million in new contributions.
Trulieve, the principle economic backer of the initiative, led the p.c. once more with $9.225 million in donations in the course of the first quarter. That follows the enterprise formerly contributing approximately $40 million as advocates worked to gather greater than a million signatures to qualify for ballot placement.
The company’s CEO also said currently that, contrary to the governor’s claims, legalization could surely “enhance satisfactory of lifestyles” for citizens.
right here’s what the smart & safe Florida marijuana legalization initiative might accomplish:
Adults 21 and older ought to buy and possess up to three oz. of cannabis for private use. The cap for marijuana concentrates could be five grams.
scientific hashish dispensaries should “collect, cultivate, method, manufacture, promote, and distribute marijuana merchandise and marijuana accessories to adults for non-public use.”
The legislature could be legal—however now not required—to approve additional entities that aren’t currently licensed cannabis dispensaries.
The initiative specifies that nothing inside the thought prevents the legislature from “enacting legal guidelines which are consistent with this modification.”
The modification similarly clarifies that nothing about the inspiration “modifications federal regulation,” which seems to be an effort to avoid beyond felony challenges about misleading poll language.
There are not any provisions for domestic cultivation, expungement of previous statistics or social equity.
The degree could take impact six months following approval by electorate.
right here’s the overall textual content of the poll identify and summary:
“allows adults 21 years or older to possess, buy, or use marijuana merchandise and marijuana add-ons for non-scientific private consumption by means of smoking, ingestion, or in any other case; lets in clinical Marijuana treatment centers, and other kingdom certified entities, to accumulate, cultivate, manner, manufacture, sell, and distribute such merchandise and add-ons. Applies to Florida law; does no longer exchange, or immunize violations of, federal regulation. Establishes possession limits for personal use. lets in regular rules. Defines terms. gives effective date.”
despite his opposition to the initiative, DeSantis, a former GOP presidential candidate who dropped out of the race in January, formerly correctly predicted that the kingdom’s maximum courtroom might in the end allow the measure on November’s ballot .
DeSantis also weighed in on every other applicable cannabis coverage issue earlier this year when, whilst nevertheless a presidential candidate, he stated that he doesn’t agree with the federal gun ban for country-felony marijuana clients is constitutional. Florida’s former agriculture fee, Nikki Fried, delivered a lawsuit in opposition to the Biden administration over the rule, although the governor did now not get involved.
prior to losing out, DeSantis additionally stated that if elected president, he could “admire the decisions that states make” on marijuana legalization despite his private view that the reform has a “terrible impact.”
