Facts, not fears, should guide voters’ decision on Amendment 3 (“Legalizing recreational marijuana is neither safe nor smart ,” Viewpoint, Sept. 24). Florida has real-world experience successfully regulating the retail sale and use of medical cannabis.
Nearly 1 million Floridians are registered with the state to purchase cannabis products from more than 600 licensed retailers. The sky has not fallen, nor will it fall when adult use similarly becomes legal. Twenty-four states have enacted adult use legalization.
None has repealed its laws. In states such as California and Colorado, a greater percentage of voters endorse cannabis legalization now than when the laws were enacted. Nationwide, public support for legalization has never been higher.
This is evidence that these policies are working largely as voters and politicians intended and are preferable to cannabis criminalization. Contrary to opponents’ claims, passage of Amendment 3 will not increase crime. States with legalized cannabis see improvements in overall crime clearance rates, including improvements in law enforcement’s ability to close violent crimes.
Passage of Amendment 3 will also disrupt the unregulated cannabis market. According to 2023 survey data, most consumers in legal states say that they obtain cannabis products from licensed establishments. By contrast, only 6% of respondents say they primarily purchased cannabis from a “dealer.
” It’s time to end the failed policy of cannabis criminaliz.
