Trump advocates for the legalization of marijuana in Florida.
In contrast to numerous other U.S. states, marijuana is only permitted for medicinal purposes in Florida at the moment. However, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is advocating for a shift: He advocates for legalization for recreational use, albeit under certain constraints.
Speaking on "Truth Social," Trump expressed his support for a referendum that would legalize recreational marijuana use in Florida, where he resides. This initiative will also be put to a vote during the presidential election on November 5th in Florida.
Trump argued, "People shouldn't be considered criminals in Florida if it's legal in so many other states. Why ruin lives and drain taxpayer funds by arresting adults with only personal amounts?" Marijuana is already legal for recreational use in several parts of the United States at a state level.
Approximately three-quarters of U.S. citizens live in states where marijuana is only allowed for medicinal use or is legal for both medicinal and recreational purposes. Public opinion polls indicate that younger voters are particularly in favor of decriminalizing marijuana, a demographic that has recently leaned more toward Trump's Democratic opponent, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump's opposition to cannabis in public view
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis opposes the initiative to legalize marijuana. "Turning Florida into San Francisco or Chicago" is how DeSantis described the proposed change, noting that his state already allows marijuana for medicinal purposes. "We need to keep our streets clean," he added.
While Trump expressed his support on Saturday, he also stressed the need for laws against public marijuana consumption. "We don't want marijuana odor everywhere, like in many cities run by Democrats," Trump explained. During his 2016 campaign, Trump took a more lenient stance on the issue, often saying he would leave the matter to local authorities. However, in the White House, Trump remained relatively silent on the issue, but did back some of the stricter positions of his first Attorney General, Jeff Sessions.
Despite his support for a referendum to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida, Donald Trump also underscored the importance of maintaining laws against public consumption. He stated, "We don't want marijuana odor everywhere, like in many cities run by Democrats." During his 2016 campaign, Trump had taken a more lenient stance, promising to leave the issue to local authorities, but as President, he tended towards stricter positions, aligning with his Attorney General Jeff Sessions' views to some extent.
