Amendment 3: It’s Corporate Greed, Not Freedom
No matter how you feel about marijuana, we can all agree it’s dangerous to hand control over any one industry to a handful of big corporations. That’s exactly what Amendment 3 does. It’s not about freedom for Floridians, it’s about padding the profits of mega marijuana corporations. Here’s what happens if Amendment 3 passes:
- Creates a Monopoly for a Few Big Corporations
- Bans Home Grow To Increase Corporate Profits
Amendment 3 would establish a monopoly for large, mostly out-of-state corporations to dominate what could be a $6 billion industry in Florida. Unlike other states where small-business owners are supported, and competition is encouraged, Amendment 3 funnels all sales through a few existing dispensaries. This not only stifles competition but ensures that only corporations profit rather than benefiting local growers or smaller businesses
The amendment has been designed and heavily funded—over $75 million—by these corporations to secure their control over the market. The purpose of Amendment 3 is NOT to legalize, decriminalize and make marijuana available for adults in Florida, its intent is simply to enrich those that funded and wrote the amendment.
Resources
- Orlando Weekly: Pot companies are pouring money into Florida's recreational marijuana initiative
- Florida Politics: Trulieve keeps pumping millions into recreational pot initiative
- Florida Trend: The marijuana industry needs a bigger market. Trulieve funds a way to it.
Amendment 3 takes an unprecedented step by banning the home cultivation of marijuana, a common allowance in other states with legalized marijuana. This ban is not for public safety but rather a calculated move to ensure that all marijuana purchases are channeled through the mega corporations that have had a hand in crafting and funding Amendment 3.
By eliminating personal cultivation, the amendment removes a more affordable and independent option for obtaining marijuana, forcing consumers to rely on a corporate supply chain that prioritizes profit over people.
Resources
- Spectrum News 9: Medical marijuana patient has mixed feelings about recreational ballot initiative
- Cannabis Business Times: Florida Attorney General Attacks Trulieve CEO, Lays Out 4-Part Argument Against Cannabis Ballot Measure for Supreme Court
- Norml: Poll: Most Americans Say That Adults Should Be Able to Legally Grow Marijuana at Home
- Norml: Core Attributes of Adult Access Regulations
Amendment 3’s Bad Ideas Will Devastate Florida Communities
Those who support Amendment 3 are quick to gloss over the harmful impact it will have on you and your family. The truth is, Amendment 3:
- Will Cause The Black Market To Explode
- Makes Pot More Prevalent And Therefore More Readily Accessible For Our Children
- Has No Time, Place, Or Manner Restrictions
- Does Not Provide A Plan For How The Money Generated From Marijuana Sales Will Be Allocated
The amendment's promises will drive up the cost of legal marijuana due to regulations, testing and taxing, pushing consumers to seek cheaper, illegal alternatives, like they have in every other state that has legalized marijuana. This increase in demand for illegal drugs would not only undermine the legal market but also increase crime and endanger the public. Floridians should not support an amendment that fails to create a safe and regulated market that protects consumers and communities alike.
Resources
Reno Gazette: Marijuana's black market is smoking the competition
NPR: Black market cannabis thrives in California despite legalization
PBS: Weed is legal in New York, but the illegal market is still booming. Here’s why.
According to the Florida Trend, “... Big Reefer eyes Florida, the nation’s third largest state, as a $6-billion market, making it not just the largest legal cannabis market in the nation but also the largest in the world.” and pot would be everywhere. That means it would be more prevalent in daily life and more accessible to children.
Just like the old Camel cartoon characters that cigarette companies used for marketing that appealed to youngsters, the marketing of marijuana gummies uses clever kid-appealing marketing techniques that have resulted in more hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
Combine this new enormous market with the nation’s highest limit for possession at 3 ounces, which is equal to over 100 joints, this creates a perfect storm of bad outcomes.
Resources
WPTV: Would recreational marijuana in Florida lead to increased exposure among children? Research shows links between legalization, more children being exposed to THC
What’s worse, the amendment does not have any time, place, or manner restrictions. This will have a profound impact on daily life and force people who don’t want to be exposed to marijuana to have to adjust their activities. Exposure to the smell of weed will be a 24/7 risk in every community and there will be no legal recourse to fix that reality.
The amendment does not limit where people can smoke marijuana. You’ll be able to use it in apartments, hotels, condos and public beaches – even if children are around – without facing any consequences.
The authors will claim that the legislature can fix these issues, but if that’s the case why didn’t they trust the legislature to design the plan for legalization. The reason is simple: they didn’t add time, place or manner restrictions into the amendment when they wrote it and now they expect somebody else to handle the problem they neglected. A simple provision allowing communities to regulate and zone pot shops could have been added, but it wasn’t.
Resources
VIDEO: CBS New York: Building with Marijuana Odor
NBC News: Secondhand marijuana smoke is not just a growing nuisance, it’s dangerous
NY Post: New York City’s full-on weed legalization stinks
The supporter’s slick TV ads claim billions will be derived from legal marijuana sales, but yet they propose no plan for how the money will get allocated. They say they are leaving it up to the same legislature that they didn’t trust to pass a legalization of marijuana bill to pass a tax, regulation and spending scheme.
It just doesn’t pass the smell test.
This amendment is written in such a way that taxpayers will not necessarily see a benefit to offset the harmful downstream consequences they will endure because of it. There’s no plan to allocate money for drug rehabilitation, hire more police or improve our schools. So don’t be fooled.
Resources
FL Voice: Opposition to Amendment 3: the hidden costs of legalizing recreational marijuana