GOP state Sen. Joe Gruters came out on Wednesday to endorse Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize recreational cannabis for adults if passed at the ballot box in the November 2024 election.

In doing so, noted the Florida Phoenix, he is going up against Gov. Ron DeSantis who vehemently opposes the amendment and by extension so does the Republican Party of Florida.

Why Is Gruters Doing It?

Gruters, who is the former Republican Party of Florida Chair, says it's based on conversations with constituents and people involved in the process.

"To me it's a realization of where we are, where we're at as a society, what people are doing, what's happened with medical marijuana overall, and I think it's just been an evolving decision to which I said, ‘Let's come out and support it. Let's try to help this win and let's get ahead of this to make sure we do it right,’" he told the Phoenix.

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Falling Out With DeSantis

After Gruters became one of the few GOP members to endorse Trump over DeSantis in the recent Republican primary, the governor proceeded to veto Gruters projects in the fiscal year budget. Things went downhill from there between the two Republicans.

DeSantis, by the way, is scurrying to garner support to defeat Amendment 3.

The Cops Are With DeSantis On This

Florida's men in blue are lining up behind the governor in his anti-weed crusade.

The Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA) became the second law enforcement group to announce its opposition to cannabis legalization, intoning DeSantis' chants that legal weed is a threat to public safety.

"Among these impacts will be the growth of illegal markets and criminal cartels, impaired driving and traffic fatalities, homelessness, and hospitalization as a result of marijuana use," said FPCA president Charles Vazquez.  

The FPCA's announcement came on the heels of the Florida Sheriffs Association releasing a resolution also detailing its opposition to Amendment 3.

“The well-being and health of the citizens of Florida are threatened through the legalization and normalization of recreational marijuana,” FSA president Bill Prummell said in a statement per Tallahassee Reports. He pointed to impaired public health issues, road safety and youth marijuana use.

Slow Down, Say Proponents

Smart & Safe Florida, the committee leading the Amendment 3 initiative, disputes those arguments.

“While marijuana can impair driving abilities, the claim that legalization leads to significantly more impaired driving fatalities is not supported by evidence,” per information on the committee's website. “Proper education, enforcement of impaired driving laws, and investment in public safety measures can mitigate any potential increase in marijuana-related traffic accidents.”

Now Read:

• Ron DeSantis Says Florida Supreme Court Should ‘Not Have Allowed’ Cannabis Legalization Initiative On Ballot

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Wikimedia Commons and Kindel Media on Pexels