With the Nov. 5 election nearing, the Trulieve cannabis company contributed another $28 million this past week to an effort to pass Amendment 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana.
Trulieve has largely bankrolled the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is leading efforts to pass the proposal, according to the state Division of Elections website.
As of Saturday, Trulieve had made $141 million in cash and in-kind contributions to Smart & Safe.
In all, Smart & Safe Florida had raised $148.77 million in cash and received about $953,000 in in-kind contributions since being formed in 2022, the report shows.
The committee had about $7.48 million in cash on hand as of Saturday.
Trulieve also contributed an additional $10 million during the week of Oct. 12-18.
Smart & Safe Florida is in a fierce political battle as it seeks to pass Amendment 3 on the Nov. 5 ballot.
The “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” proposal would allow people 21 or older “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for nonmedical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.” It requires 60% of the vote to pass.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is helping lead efforts to try to defeat the proposal, and state agencies have run controversial television ads aimed at dissuading voters from supporting the measure.
The governor, first lady Casey DeSantis, Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a group of Florida law enforcement leaders, and other state leaders have taken part in public events to warn about youth marijuana use and concerns the cannabis industry’s financial backing of the amendment.
Florida voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana.
