The Miami Herald has come out in strong support of Amendment 3, a ballot initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Florida for everyone 21 and older.
“For more than half a century, America has been fighting a war on drugs that most people agree has failed”, states the Miami Herald. “It focused too often on street arrests of young people of color who spent years in prison for small amounts of marijuana while violent cartels bringing in opioids, cocaine and fentanyl — among the most dangerous drugs — continued doing business.”
They continue: “Now Floridians have a chance to help police direct their resources to where they will matter more — to combat killer drugs — and allow the legal use of marijuana products for adults 21 and older. This can be done with proper monitoring, just as the state oversees the sale of alcohol and tobacco products. Constitutional Amendment 3 proposes to expand Florida’s already legal use of medical marijuana (38 states allow it) to recreational use for adults.”
If approved by voters on November 5, Amendment 3 would allow those 21 and older to possess and use up to three ounces of dried marijuana flower and up to five grams of marijuana concentrates, purchasable via a licensed marijuana retail outlet. Polling released last month by Emerson College found that 64% of likely voters support Amendment 3,.
The Miami Herald in their endorsement notes that “The Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference studied sales in six recreational marijuana states and concluded Florida could gain about $200 million in sales tax revenues in the first full year and as much as $431 million a year later. That money could be used for whatever the Florida Legislature determines is appropriate.”
The Herald says “We support Amendment 3, but there are issues raised by opponents that deserve scrutiny and swift action by the Legislature if voters approve the measure.”
In their endorsement, the outlet goes on to say:
As of the end of June, there were 883,567 medical marijuana patients and 653 licensed dispensaries in Florida, according to the Florida Health Department’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use.
And state law already makes smoking medicinal marijuana in public illegal. But even though it’s illegal to smoke marijuana in public, no doubt you have smelled it while walking outside.
If this is approved, the Legislature must clarify that the smoking ban in public places that applies to medicinal marijuana also applies to recreational marijuana, and allow cities to enforce local laws with noncriminal citations that carry hefty fines.
The Miami Herald Editorial Board recommends voting YES on Amendment 3 for the safe and regulated use of recreational marijuana for adults.
According to the Florida Division of Elections, Smart & Safe Florida has raised $101,358,827.54 for Amendment 3, quadruple any previous statewide marijuana legalization effort.
