The campaign to legalize cannabis in Florida has become the most expensive initiative of its kind in the U.S. since 2010, according to a recent analysis by Ballotpedia. The constitutional amendment ballot measure, known as Amendment 3, has seen supporters and opponents raise a combined $105.08 million, surpassing the funding efforts for California’s Proposition 64, which was on the ballot in 2016.
As of now, supporters of Amendment 3 have raised a total of $90.4 million, while opposition groups have garnered $14.64 million, per Ballotpedia’s data.
The bulk of the financial support for the legalization campaign comes from Trulieve, a Florida-based multi-state cannabis company, which has contributed $82.89 million to the Smart & Safe Florida PAC, the group leading the legalization push. On the opposing side, Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel LLC and a Florida resident, has donated $12 million to fund efforts against the amendment. Additionally, Griffin has contributed $20 million to candidates who oppose cannabis reforms; however, these donations were not directly tied to the campaign and were not included in Ballotpedia’s figures.
Historically, cannabis legalization efforts have outpaced their opposition in fundraising, particularly since 2014. The notable exceptions were the 2016 campaigns in Arizona and Nevada, where both sides raised roughly equal amounts. While Arizona voters rejected cannabis legalization that year, Nevada voters approved the measure.
Recent polling reflects a divided electorate in Florida. A mid-August survey by Florida Atlantic University found that 56% of registered voters indicated they would vote in favor of legalization, while 29% opposed it, and 15% remained undecided. A separate poll, conducted by 7News and Suffolk University, showed stronger support, with 63% of respondents in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana. The poll, which had a margin of error of 4.4%, included 500 likely voters in both English and Spanish.
For the measure to pass, it must secure at least 60% of the vote, as required for any constitutional amendment in Florida.
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