Big Cannabis Spreading Money Through PAC to Top Florida Republicans
Sign in support of Amendment 3 in front of a Trulieve Marijuana Dispensary in Boca Raton.
Florida State Senator and top Trump ally Joe Gruters has taken a potent interest in seeing that all Floridians can recreationally indulge in the highest quality Trulieve flower, gummies, vapes or dab free of a prescription.
“By legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, we can give Floridians access to safe products, generate significant revenue for critical public services, and create new job opportunities for Floridians,” reads a post by Gruters on X. “I urge you to join me in voting YES on Amendment 3 this November. Together, we can build a safer, smarter future for the Free State of Florida.”
If Gruters considers Political Action Committees that fund his campaign a critical public service, then he would be correct.
Records show Advancing Florida Agriculture PAC received $200,000 from Trulieve, the corporate behemoth financially backing the push for Amendment 3 who owns 142 marijuana dispensaries across the State of Florida where marijuana is currently legal with a doctors prescription.
DeSantis Spokesman Jeremy Redfern warned Amendment 3 will give complete control of the Florida Marijuana market to Trulieve.
“Amendment 3 would, quite literally, provide a single corporation with the constitutional right to control the weed market,” posted Redfern this morning. “There’s a reason that one corporation has pumped over $34 million into passing Amendment 3. They see it as an investment towards their monopoly.”
Trulieve and other special interests have been spreading money to top Florida Republicans like Gruters through the PAC. No Republican has received more from the PAC than Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson who has collected a cumulative $103,000 to date.
Other notable Republicans who have taken money from the PAC include Sarasota School Board Member Bridget Zeigler, Miami Rep Ileana Garcia, Rep Jason Brodeur, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.
In the 2024 general election, Floridians will be given a choice to approve or reject Amendment 3 which will fully legalize marijuana for adults over 21. The advocacy group Smart and Safe Florida who is sponsoring the initiative reported $61.28 million in contributions with Trulieve as the main contributor. Based on other states’ experiences, expected retail sales of non-medical marijuana would generate at least $195.6 million annually in state and local sales tax revenues once the retail market is fully operational, although the timing of this occurring is unclear.
The Florida Freedom Fund was created by Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis to oppose the initiative which DeSantis calls “extreme”.
“Once voters figure out how radical both of those are, they’re going to fail,” said DeSantis. “It’s basically a license to have it anywhere you want. So no time, place and manner restrictions. This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns."
The exact language of the amendment reads: “Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.”