Trump expresses his intent to cast a ballot in favor of approving adult recreational marijuana usage in Florida.
"I've been vocal about this before, it's past time to put an end to unnecessary incarcerations of adults for minor marijuana possession for personal use. We need to enact sensible regulations, facilitating access to safe, tested marijuana products for adults. As a resident of Florida, I'll be casting a YES vote for Amendment 3 in November," Trump stated on Truth Social.
Persisting as President, we'll prioritize research to explore marijuana's medical applications, aiming to reclassify it as a Schedule 3 drug, and collaborate with Congress to pass suitable laws, such as safe banking for legal state businesses and upholding states' right to establish marijuana laws, like in Florida, that benefit their citizens.
His stance aligns with the criminal justice reform bill he signed into law during his presidency, although Trump has consistently projected a tough-on-crime image in his political career. Trump is aligning himself with a popular sentiment among Americans, despite backlash from his own party.
An area of accord between Trump and his November opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, is her support for Biden's administration's endeavors to pardon individuals convicted of minor marijuana possession and pushing for a downgrade in the federal drug classification. Harris has faced criticism for her criminal justice record, having prosecuted individuals for minor drug offenses during her tenure as a prosecutor.
Trump earlier expressed his belief that Florida's ballot initiative would pass regardless of public opinion, and called for the enactment of laws prohibiting recreational marijuana use in public spaces. He also suggested demarcating zones for marijuana consumption.
Trump's pledge to "unravel marijuana's medical applications to a Schedule 3 drug" surfaced after he commended medical marijuana during a conversation on the Lex Fridman Podcast.
The initiative, requiring a 60% approval rate to be passed, "Permits adults aged 21 and above to possess, purchase, or use non-medical marijuana products and accessories for personal consumption via smoking, ingestion, or other means," the measure specifies. It also "Permits Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, along with other state-licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories."
Desantis, who previously contended against Trump in the GOP primary but later endorsed him after his campaign suspension, has disparaged the initiative as "extreme" and commented earlier this year that if it were to pass, "Florida's cities and towns will start to reek of marijuana."
The Florida GOP voiced opposition to the initiative in May, and the Republican Party of Florida's executive board unanimously passed a resolution against it. Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power released a statement, calling these amendments "unnecessary attempts by a shrinking faction to win public support through deception."
In his political discourse, Trump advocated for the cooperation with Congress to pass marijuana-related laws, such as safe banking for legal businesses and upholding states' rights in marijuana regulations. Furthering this discussion, Trump's stance on marijuana legislation aligns with Vice President Kamala Harris, who supports pardons for minor marijuana possession convicts and push for federal drug classification downgrades.
