Gov. Ron DeSantis warned on Monday that if the cannabis legalization ballot, known as Amendment 3, passes in November, regulating public weed consumption will be next to impossible.

That’s about all the Florida governor said regarding the cannabis initiative since Donald Trump endorsed it on Saturday.

Referring to comments made by a GOP state senator that the initiative does not contain controls for regulating public marijuana consumption, DeSantis said he was right and then accused Floridians of being lax voters.  

"His observation is clear in the text of the actual amendment, which is not included on the ballot and which 99% of voters will never read," DeSantis wrote on X.

• Get Benzinga's exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter here. If you're serious about the business, you can't afford to miss out.

Read Also: Harris Campaign Slams Donald Trump Over Cannabis Shift: Calls It ‘Brazen Flip-Flop’

DeSantis’ No Comment On Elephant In The Room

DeSantis has not made any public comments as yet about Trump’s endorsement of Amendment 3. His Republican pals, however, are not shy about blasting the former president for his surprising announcement, about which many are apparently not too happy.

“Don’t listen to Trump. Vote NO on Amendment 3," said local GOP chair David Biddle on X. "We don’t need recreational marijuana in Florida. It’s been a disaster everywhere they have it, it brings zero benefit to society, it increases crime, increases homelessness, and increases further drug use. It’s bad for Florida.”

Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, who was barred for three years in Colorado for making false statements over the 2020 election, called Trump's endorsement a “PR move” and a distraction over Amendment 4, the ballot that would repeal the state’s six-week abortion ban.

Trump is talking about Amendment 3 to make conservatives start talking about why we obviously oppose this stupidity and he hopes we just forget about the Amendment 4 problem.

PR play, 💯

— Jenna Ellis (@realJennaEllis) August 31, 2024

Meanwhile, DeSantis’ chief of staff bashed a former GOP colleague.

James Uthmeier, who was also DeSantis's campaign manager in the governor's failed bid for president, went after Trump ally state Sen. Joe Gruters, former chair of the Republican Party of Florida.

Gruters announced his support for legalizing marijuana earlier this summer, but also wants to regulate public smoking if the initiative passes — a point that Trump also made when he announced his support for Amendment 3.

"It's a shame that someone like Joe Gruters would support an amendment that has virtually no checks on where and how marijuana can be consumed — putting kids at risk," said Uthmeier. “Someone should check who has given him political $ and then see who is backing this amendment."

Now Read:

• Cannabis Joint Venture Secures Major Florida Deal Amid Trump Endorsement Of Marijuana Legalization

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Shaleah Craighead and Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons and Kindel Media on Pexels