Just as it weighed in against enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution ahead of the general election, the Collier County Board of County Commissioners is weighing in on recreational marijuana, as well. By a unanimous vote, the commission voted to pass a resolution against Amendment 3.
If passed by at least 60 percent of the vote in November, recreational marijuana use would be legal in the state for those 21 and over. Leading the charge in favor of a resolution against the voter-driven amendment is Commissioner Daniel Kowal, a retired law enforcement officer who worked to take down drug dealers on the Vice Narcotics Unit for the Collier County Sheriff's Office.
Polls suggest Amendment 3 could pass in Florida. Medical marijuana has been legal in Florida since 2016, when it was legalized by a constitutional amendment. That amendment was approved by 71% of the vote.
Proponents of Amendment 3 have pumped tens of millions of dollars into the Pro 3 campaign with dispensary Trulieve leading the charge with some $80 million so far. Opposition to the amendment has raised and spent far less money.
On Tuesday, Kowal claimed without evidence that the big money backing the amendment is the reason the measure got on the ballot to begin with. The voter-driven initiative needed roughly 891,000 signatures to get on the 2024 ballot. In June, the Florida Division of Elections certified 967,000 signatures, making it eligible.
"This was backed by a lot of money — by some big people that want Florida to fail in the future because they don't like the fact that Florida is what we are and what we stand for — a sound constitutional conservative state," Kowal said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pushing for a no vote on Amendment 3, while Donald Trump — at least for now — has said he will vote in favor of the amendment.
Fellow board member Burt Saunders needed no arm-bending to vote in favor of a resolution against legalizing recreational marijuana.
“The legalization of recreational marijuana has not worked well anywhere in the country where it’s been adopted. It will not work well in Florida and I thank commissioner Kowal for bringing it forward. I support this resolution whole-heartedly,” said commissioner Saunders.
The non-binding resolution expresses deep concern over the amendment, saying it would make the state less safe. It mirrors nearly word-for-word a resolution that the Florida Association of Sheriffs passed earlier this summer.
Nanette Schimpf told WGCU that during a voice vote on its own anti-Amendment 3 resolution this summer there was no opposition to the resolution. Schimpf did not know if other municipal governments were weighing in on the Amendment 3.