Far-right influencers paid to say no to cannabis legalization in Florida

While the Florida to vote on’Amendment 3, which proposes the legalization of cannabis for adult use, a campaign opposes this amendment and aims to influence voters.

This opposition effort, which won the support of influential far-right figures, sparked a highly visible and controversial debate on social media. Many influencers, including personalities such as Jenna Ellis, Kevin Sorbo, and contributors to Turning Point USA, a very conservative NGO, are actively voicing their sometimes legitimate criticisms of the measure, which they present as a corporate takeover masquerading as cannabis reform.

Influencer arguments against Amendment 3

Paid influencers, using the hashtag #NoOn3Partner, are concerned that legalization would primarily benefit big business while limiting individual freedoms. For example, actor Kevin Sorbo claimed that Amendment 3 would allow «greedy companies» to monopolize the market, preventing small businesses and individuals from growing cannabis at home.

«They're banning home-grown marijuana,» Sorbo said, «to force everyone to buy from them. How is that fair?».

Likewise, Jenna Ellis, Donald Trump's former lawyer, argued that citizen-led amendments such as the’Amendment 3, This rigidity would result in a «one-size-fits-all» law lacking essential legislative oversight. In her view, this rigidity would result in a "one-size-fits-all" law lacking essential legislative oversight. Ms. Ellis' position aligns with other conservative voices in the campaign, who suggest that legislative control, rather than constitutional amendments, is the way forward for cannabis reform.

Critics of the’Amendment 3 have repeatedly referred to the proposal as a gateway to «Big Weed», a term used to describe the fear of a monopolized cannabis industry that could prioritize profits over the well-being of Floridians.

According to Graham Allen, a Turning Point USA, l’Amendment 3 is a «poison pill... another way to create another monopolized industry».

He also claimed, without supporting evidence, that cannabis legalization had led to an increase in youth use and a drop in IQ in legalized states, citing Colorado and California in particular. However, a survey conducted in Colorado in 2023 contradicts this claim, showing a slight lower cannabis consumption among young people and no verified causal link between the cannabis use and lower IQ, according to studies by’National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

An issue that divides the GOP

The debate on’amendment 3 created dissension among Florida's Republican leaders, including figures such as Donald Trump and the Governor Ron DeSantis.

Donald Trump notably expressed his support for the amendment, while Ron DeSantis has aligned himself with the anti-legalization campaign, going so far as to allow state-funded ads highlighting the potential dangers of cannabis legalization.

These ads, produced by agencies such as ministry of transport, the Ministry of health and the ministry for children and families, In the last few months, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have highlighted concerns about the increase in drunk driving and road accidents in states where cannabis is legal.

However, these claims were recently challenged and rejected by a Democratic senator who filed a lawsuit claiming misuse of taxpayers« money for what he called anti-cannabis »propaganda".

A crucial element of the #NoOn3Partner movement lies in its financial support. The campaign has paid influencers such as Jenna Ellis, who defended his sponsorship by declaring: «Nobody says that sponsorship is bad, but CACHER is.»

Critics argue that these influencers, who present themselves as popular voices, may lack authenticity due to their paid roles, compromising their claims about protecting Florida's interests.

Support for Amendment 3 despite concerns

Despite strong opposition, the campaign for legalization, led by Smart & Safe Florida, insists that the amendment would allow adult-use cannabis without changing the existing ban on home cultivation.

Funded mainly by Trulieve, Florida's leading cannabis company, which has now contributed $141 million to the pro-legalization camp, the campaign claims that home cultivation was omitted to avoid legal hurdles, as ballot initiatives with complex cultivation provisions risk being disqualified under Florida law.

In addition, supporters of the’Amendment 3 believe that it will reflect the’amendment to 2016 on medical cannabis, which was subsequently supported and expanded by the legislature. They argue that legislative inaction on adult-use cannabis reform makes constitutional amendments a necessary path.