DeSantis Targets 'One Big Weed Company' Funding Florida's Legalization Campaign, Citing 'Corporate Interests'

As Florida prepares for a critical vote on recreational cannabis legalization this November, Governor Ron DeSantis is intensifying his campaign against Amendment 3, this time challenging cannabis giant Trulieve TCNNF TRUL. In an effort to counter what the polls show as a majority of support for recreational cannabis, the governor is presenting brand new creative arguments.

On Tuesday, the Anti-Amendment 3 X account ‘Vote No on 3’ shared a video wherein DeSantis appears to target “one big weed company,” as cannabis legalization’s main backer. He calls Trulieve a corporate monopoly that seeks to profit from a captive market and accuses the medical marijuana company of being led by “corporate interests.”

Fighting ‘Corporate Cannabis‘

Vote No on 3 posted the DeSantis video. "One big weed company that spent 75 to 80 million dollars… writes in there that you have a right to possess and use marijuana, but only if you buy it from them; you can't grow it in your backyard."

👀 @GovRonDeSantis laid it out: Amendment 3 is not pro-freedom, it's pro-monopoly. Instead of giving you the freedom to grow in your backyard, Amendment 3 would allow unchecked public use. pic.twitter.com/NKhJpBcq9C

— Vote No on 3 (@VoteNo_On3) September 17, 2024

This statement is surprising for two reasons: it misrepresents cannabis regulations in other legal states, where home cultivation is often permitted, while portraying DeSantis as supportive of home cultivatation, a stance that contradicts his previous positions.

While DeSantis opposes the legalization of recreational cannabis, supporting legislation that allows residents to grow their own plants could address some concerns about access and the illegal market.

Instead, De Santis has been financially backed by another type of manufacturer: the hemp derivatives groups. Some of the companies in this sector profit from an unregulated environment that enables them to avoid the tax burden and manufacturing controls imposed on cannabis companies.

DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have banned hemp-based products this past July.

Benzinga reached out to Trulieve for comments on DeSantis’ remarks.

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Running Against Trulieve

DeSantis’ remarks reflect his complicated relationship with the cannabis industry.

Trulieve, which has invested heavily in the Smart & Safe campaign for Amendment 3, is a major player in the Florida medical cannabis market. However, it’s far from being a monopoly, as the X post reads and the governor implies.

According to the most recent data from the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU), Trulieve operates 22% of the state's dispensaries, accounting for 30% of total medical marijuana sales and 10% of low-THC cannabis products. It’s clear that the company is not the only cannabis business in Florida.

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DeSantis’ Closing Arguments

DeSantis also expressed concerns about marijuana use in public spaces, which is a typical regulatory concern with cannabis (similar to alcohol and tobacco).

He stated, "I don't think that there's any place in the country that has successfully limited the use."

Instead of dismissing the issue outright, one might consider that what was possible for alcohol and tobacco is also possible for cannabis. Consumption lounges, for instance, are a great solution for crowded areas.

If you are curious about Amendment 3, you can find the text of the initiative here.

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

Cover: Photo: Benzinga edit of image by Matthew Brodeur on Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons