The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a public policy statement officially endorsing the No on Amendment 3 campaign, which is being led by Governor Ron DeSantis (R).
“Legalizing marijuana makes it more accessible, removes the criminal penalties and stigma attributable to it, and creates the impression that it is safe to use”, states the group.”Taken together, these factors ultimately lead to increased use of the drug—by as much as 20% in adults.”
The group, which calls itself “the nonpartisan public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Florida”, also brings up fears regarding marijuana’s potency, saying:
Decades ago, the level of the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, THC, was typically 2-3%. Products today, however, can have THC levels as high as 90%, creating significantly stronger effects on brain function—specifically memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time.v This negative impact on brain function, in turn, leads to increased motor vehicle accidents, cases resulting in trauma, and use of psychiatric emergency services, emergency rooms, and poison control services.
Because the human brain is not fully mature until our mid-to-late 20s, young people are even more susceptible to the adverse effects of marijuana. vii In fact, research has linked the use of marijuana by young adults to psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, especially in young men.
The group further says:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense” (no. 2291).
Furthermore, at an international drug enforcement conference almost 10 years ago, Pope Francis was clear: Drugs are an evil, and with evil there can be no yielding or compromise…No to every type of drug use. It is as simple as that…But to say this ‘no,’ one has to say ‘yes’ to life….love…others…education…[and] greater job opportunities. If we say ‘yes’ to all these things, there will be no room for illicit drugs, for alcohol abuse, for other forms of addiction.
On the other side, cannabis multistate operators, led by Tallahassee-based Trulieve Cannabis Corp., have contributed more than $100 million to support the passage of the amendment, more than 20 times what the opposition group has raised.
Recent polling from the University of North Florida indicates strong support for Amendment 3, with 66% of respondents favoring its passage.
If approved, the measure would allow adults aged 21 and older to legally buy and possess up to three ounces of cannabis and five grams of marijuana concentrates. It would also authorize sales at existing medical marijuana retail outlets.
Amendment 3 has gained notable backing from Donald Trump, who, as a Florida voter, endorsed the measure during a podcast and on Truth Social. His endorsement has become a central feature of the pro-legalization campaign.
