Trump takes heat for views on Florida’s adult-use marijuana ballot initiative

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is taking criticism for his support of the adult-use marijuana ballot initiative in Florida.

In a Saturday post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that “someone should not be a criminal in Florida, when this is legal in so many other States,” ABC News reported.

Both Vice President Kamala Harris and some Florida conservatives were quick to attack the former president.

‘Brazen flip flops’

Harris’ Democratic presidential campaign criticized Trump’s “brazen flip flops” on marijuana reform, according to a memo first obtained by ABC News.

“As of this morning, Trump now suggests he is for legalizing marijuana – but as President, his own Justice Department cracked down on marijuana offenses,” Ian Sams, a Harris communications aide, said in the memo.

That was a reference to Jeff Sessions, the Trump administration’s first attorney general, who in January 2018 rescinded the Cole Memo.

The Cole Memo, a four-page policy advisory from 2013, has been credited for the existence of state-regulated marijuana markets.

Meanwhile, David Biddle, chair of the Republican Party in Gilchrist County, Florida, took exception to Trump’s stand on the recreational cannabis ballot measure that will go before Florida voters in November.

“Don’t listen to Trump. Vote NO on Amendment 3,” Biddle posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Newsweek reported.

“We don’t need recreational marijuana in Florida,” Biddle continued.

“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.”

Industry group applauds Trump

However, the U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC), a Washington, D.C.-based lobby for the industry, welcomed Trump’s support for the adult-use referendum.

“He joins millions of Americans who have reassessed their views on cannabis in recent years,” David Culver, the USCC’s senior vice president of public affairs, said in a statement emailed to MJBizDaily.

“Amendment 3 enjoys strong bipartisan support from Florida voters, and President Trump’s support could prove pivotal for meeting the 60% threshold required to become law.

“We look forward to hearing more from him about how he would approach cannabis reform if elected this November.”

Trump had said in early August he would weigh in “fairly soon” on the adult-use initiative in Florida, where he is a voter.

In his Truth Social comments – which directly conflict the views of Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis – Trump pressed lawmakers to “prohibit the use of it in public spaces, so we do not smell marijuana everywhere we go.”

“We do not need to ruin lives & waste Taxpayer Dollars arresting adults with personal amounts of it on them, and no one should grieve a loved one because they died from fentanyl laced marijuana,” Trump added.

The 45th president did not provide any evidence of any fentanyl-related deaths tied to marijuana use.