Marijuana leaves. / Credit: Armando Olivo Martín del Campo CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Florida’s Catholic bishops are urging residents to vote no on a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in the Sunshine State as activists on both sides continue to funnel millions of dollars into the record-breaking campaign.

Amendment 3, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older, is the most expensive cannabis-focused campaign in United States history. 

As of late September, supporters of the initiative have spent more than $90 million to encourage a yes vote and opponents have spent more than $14 million to urge Floridians to vote no, according to Ballotpedia. 

The initiative would change Article X of the state constitution, which already has provisions for the medicinal use of marijuana. A yes vote would add a subsection for “personal use,” which states that a person would no longer need to be “a qualifying patient” to obtain marijuana. 

Any adult 21 years old or older would be allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana.

To adopt a constitutional amendment via ballot referendum, supporters need to obtain a yes vote from 60% of voters. Some polls have shown supporters meeting that mark, but other polls have shown the referendum falling short of that threshold.

Bishops warn of increased use of marijuana, risks

One staunch opponent of the referendum is the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB), along with the various Catholic dioceses around the state.

“Legalizing marijuana makes it more accessible, removes the criminal penalties and stigma attributable to it, and creates the impression that it is safe to use,” a statement issued by the FCCB reads. 

“Taken together, these factors ultimately lead to increased use of the drug — by as much as 20% in adults,” it adds, citing a 2023 study published in Sage Journals.

The bishops cautioned that some marijuana products have higher levels of THC — the psychoactive component in marijuana that produces the “high” — than products in previous decades. 

This, the bishops warn, can exacerbate the effects of consuming the drug, such as the loss of coordination, impaired decision-making, and diminished brain function while under the influence. 

They also express concern about the long-term effects on developing brains and the dangers posed to unborn children if pregnant women consume marijuana.

The statement also references the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that “the use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life” and calls drug usage outside of therapeutic treatments “a grave offense” (No. 2291). 

The Florida bishops also reference a quote from Pope Francis in which the pontiff calls drugs “evil” and says “there can be no yielding or compromise,” urging “no to every type of drug use.”

A spokesperson for the FCCB told CNA that the bishops have shared their statement with pastors and parishes and have made themselves available for presentations.

Neither the bishops’ conference nor the dioceses are financially contributing to the “no” campaign, the spokesperson said.

Unusual political alliances on the ground

The campaign for and against the referendum has not fit neatly along political lines, with some Republicans backing the measure and some Democrats opposing it. Both campaigns are highlighting their respective bipartisan alliances.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis launched the “Florida Freedom Fund PAC” to work on defeating the amendment, but the party’s presidential nominee, former president Donald Trump, has said he will vote to adopt the amendment. Trump’s primary residence is in Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party officially supports the amendment, but former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, who served under Bill Clinton, is urging residents to vote no on the initiative.

One advertisement created by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), which opposes legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, includes clips of DeSantis, former Democratic President Barack Obama, and other officials speaking against marijuana legalization.

Luke Niforatos, the executive vice president of SAM Action, told CNA that “the commercialization of marijuana has had adverse effects on physical and mental health, public safety, young people, and communities of color.”

“THC use reduces IQ and is medically and scientifically associated with psychosis, depression, suicidality, schizophrenia, and motor impairment,” Niforatos said. 

“Full-scale commercialization of marijuana and THC drugs also has not curbed the illicit market — in fact states are now seeing an influx of foreign drug cartels that are using the ‘legal’ marketplace to sell illicit drugs and prey on vulnerable populations.”

Alternatively, Smart and Safe Florida, which is spearheading the ballot initiative effort, is running advertisements that show Trump indicating his support for the amendment and speaking about legalizing recreational marijuana for adults. The advertisement asks voters to “join President Donald Trump” with a yes vote.

The campaign is also funding billboards that show a quote from Trump saying he will vote for the referendum.

CNA reached out to Smart and Safe Florida for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

In addition to the marijuana referendum, Floridians will also vote on a proposed amendment to enshrine a legal right to abortion in the state constitution. This also requires 60% support. Some polls have shown the effort reaching that benchmark, while others have shown the effort failing.