DeSantis 'On Wrong Side Of History,' Curaleaf Chair Says: Governor Calls Trulieve 'Big Pharma On Steroids'

Boris Jordan, founder and executive chair of Curaleaf Holdings CURLF, had some parting words for Governor Ron DeSantis who has opposed Florida's cannabis legalization initiative, Amendment 3, since day one, even after – or should we say because former President Donald Trump endorsed it?

Jordan said that DeSantis' “smear campaign” regarding Amendment 3 and his stance against cannabis legalization is misguided.

"The @GovRonDeSantis smear campaign against Amendment 3 is on the wrong side of history. Time and again, states across our nation have proven that legal adult-use cannabis can have a positive impact, generating important tax revenues while providing responsible adult consumers with access to tested and regulated products," Jordan wrote on X.

Safe & Smart Florida, the group behind the legalization campaign, had a follow-up comment about how the “legalized adult-use recreational marijuana, the elimination of underground markets has driven a reduction in underage use while generating billions in tax revenue to reinvest in youth programs and scholarships.”

The @GovRonDeSantis smear campaign against Amendment 3 is on the wrong side of history. Time and again, states across our nation have proven that legal adult-use #cannabis can have a positive impact, generating important tax revenues while providing responsible adult consumers… https://t.co/O0D5cf0x1p

— Boris Jordan (@Boris_Jordan) November 4, 2024

Smear Campaign?

DeSantis has gone after the campaign's main financial backer, Trulieve Cannabis Corp TCNNF, on several occasions while opposing the entire campaign with ongoing comments about weed being a smelly affair and equating it with drug cartel activity.

Read Also: Election Day 2024: Will Florida, Nebraska, North And South Dakota Join The Marijuana Revolution?

DeSantis’ Final Shot: Trulieve Is ‘Big Pharma On Steroids’

DeSantis shared his final comments on Facebook Monday, directing attention toward Trulieve.

“One mega marijuana corporation has poured over $140 million into Amendment 3,” the governor said. “That's not a charitable donation in the best interests of Florida—it's a publicly-traded company trying to maximize profits for their own shareholders, by securing special privileges and permanent carve-outs in our constitution. It's like Big Pharma on steroids.”

Benzinga reached out to Trulieve for the company’s response and is awaiting comment.

Now Read:

• Trump, Harris And DeSantis Face Off On Cannabis Legalization In Florida And Beyond

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, USA – Ron DeSantis via Wikimedia Commons and Jose Luis Sanchez Pereyra via Unsplash