Watch CBS News

Trulieve adds $5 million to Florida recreational marijuana campaign

CBS News Live
CBS News Miami Live

TALLAHASSEE - The medical cannabis company Trulieve has contributed another $5 million to a campaign to allow recreational marijuana in Florida.

The company made the contribution on July 15 to the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is leading efforts to pass a recreational marijuana initiative on the November ballot.

"Access to regulated adult-use marijuana would help prevent illicit cartel-trafficked marijuana from making its way into Florida, as well as allow law enforcement to focus on violent crime," according to a statement from Smart & Safe Florida.

In all, Trulieve had contributed about $60.39 million to the committee as of July 19, according to a state Division of Elections database.

The committee had raised a total of $66.475 million in cash and nearly $129,000 in in-kind contributions. It had spent $53.963 million.

The initiative, which will appear on the ballot as Amendment 3, says, in part, that it would allow "adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise."

The Florida Supreme Court on April 1 approved allowing the proposed constitutional amendment to go before voters.  

Florida voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana. Changes to the state Constitution require 60 percent approval from voters to pass.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.