Trump, Harris, Vance And Walz Agree On This: End Cannabis Criminalization In Florida
A new ad for Florida's marijuana legalization initiative, Amendment 3, highlights a rare bipartisan consensus among presidential candidates and their running mates from both the Democratic and Republican parties: all of them oppose criminalizing cannabis users.
Titled “We're All Saying the Same Thing,” the ad was launched by the Smart & Safe Florida campaign on Wednesday.
The ad features clips of VP Kamala Harris, her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump and his his running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance all voicing support for cannabis reform, albeit with differing approaches.
“It’s not politics. It’s common sense. We’re all saying the same thing, no one should be arrested for possessing small amounts of marijuana,” notes Smart and Safe Florida, the group behind the legalization initiative.
The ad shows Harris reiterating her support for marijuana legalization in a recent interview with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the podcast "All the Smoke."
Walz also talks about legalization, having recently signed Minnesota's law permitting recreational use. Walz, like Harris, leans towards federal reform but believes states should take the lead.
Then there's Trump, a Florida resident who has endorsed Amendment 3, which would legalize adult recreational use. The ad splices together comments from Trump going back to 2015, when he said marijuana should be a state issue with clips of when he recently expressed support for federal rescheduling of cannabis and improving access to banking for the marijuana industry.
Senator Vance is an advocate for states’ rights, often criticizing federal cannabis reform. Though the Ohio senator was not enthusiastic when voters legalized recreation weed in his state last November.
Morgan Hill, spokesperson for Smart & Safe Florida, said Amendment 3 transcends party politics. "Supporting the legalization of recreational adult use marijuana is about upholding the principles of individual freedom and liberty that our country was founded upon,” he said. “Amendment 3 will end the unjust and unneeded arrests of individuals who consume marijuana for personal use, give adults the right to make their own choices, and honor the core values that define the Free State of Florida and our nation."
