Trump Says Yes To Legal Cannabis In Florida, But Hometown Palm Beach Says No Thanks To Weed Shops

Palm Beach Florida, home to former President Donald Trump and at least 60 other billionaires, is collectively concerned about whether to allow adult-use cannabis shops to open in their town. The ballot initiative, known as Amendment 3, which is up for a vote across Florida during the upcoming November elections would legalize cannabis across the state.

Trump Endorsement Of Amendment 3

One would think that the most famous of the town's 9,245 residents would have some sway as to cannabis' stature in Palm Beach. Trump, after all, recently endorsed Amendment 3 and vowed that if elected president the entire country would enjoy the benefits of legal marijuana. Trump’s comments, made in early September, were roundly bashed by his opponent's campaign. VP Kamala Harris‘s team called Trump's new-found support of marijuana to be "blatant pandering." 

See Also: Ron DeSantis Silent On Trump Marijuana Endorsement, Some Florida Republicans Push Back ‘Don’t Listen To Trump’

Palm Beach's Town Council president Bobbie Lindsay echoed Governor Ron DeSantis's complaints about the smell of marijuana smoke if recreational marijuana dispensaries are permitted in Palm Beach.

“I was recently in California, and I smelled marijuana everywhere I went,” she told council members at a recent meeting, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. She said it didn't bother her in the weed shops but on the streets it was a different story. "It’s all over the place. You just smell it everywhere and you see it."  

Former High Times Owner & Palm Beach Resident Disagrees

"I think it's important to have an alternative to alcohol, especially for young adults," Eleanora Kennedy, who co-owned High Times magazine with her late husband for four decades, told Benzinga. "We all know the facts about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption and we should certainly know that there has never been a single death from cannabis consumption."

Nevertheless, Lindsay expressed concern over the riffraff she saw hanging around near weed shops during her trip to legal weed states. "They just lie around, and who knows what else they’re doing. It’s not a desirable thing for a small town to have these kinds of stores."

No doubt it would be difficult to imagine stoners hanging around anywhere in Palm Beach, especially in its elegant shopping district with its countless upscale shops like Gucci, Hermès, Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, etc — with or without legal weed.  

Only three bridges connect Palm Beach with the rest of Florida. A Palm Beach resident once told Benzinga that, “If a bicycle goes missing in Palm Beach, all three bridges go up and no one gets in or out.”

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• Kamala Harris’ Cannabis Legalization Stance: What It Means For Federal Policy

Photo: Premier Estate Properties, Palm Beach