A state GOP senator claims that the campaign for a Florida ballot initiative legalizing marijuana “tricked” Donald Trump into supporting reform.
Sen. Jon Martin (R) claimed in an interview with Florida’s Voice that the Smart & Safe Florida campaign deliberately misled the public about the cannabis initiative, which received a majority of the vote last November but not enough to be enacted.
He specifically pointed to “a massive loophole” within the proposal, which he claimed would have stripped legislators of their ability to place restrictions on the public’s consumption.
Martin stated that “Medical marijuana can be prohibited from smoking in public but not recreational marijuana.” It was an enormous glitch.
The senator said “the lawyers that put that on the ballot basically cost their client $100 million because that’s how much Smart & Safe Florida spent to advocate—actually more than that—for Amendment 3.” The senator was referring to Trulieve, a multi-state cannabis company that contributed the majority of the donations for the legalization campaign.
As evidence, he also cited the fact that the revised marijuana initiative filed earlier this month in the hopes of appearing on the 2026 ballot now explicitly states “smoking marijuana and vaping it is forbidden” anywhere.
WATCH: Sen. @JonMartinEsq Trump’s “trick” to support marijuana legalization pic.twitter.com/xDdqFQb3ni
— Florida’s Voice w/ Drew Steele (@FLVoiceRadio) January 24, 2025
He said, “This proves they messed up. They almost got us.” “They fooled Donald Trump by getting him to endorsing the book. Many people fell for this trick. “So they changed it to be clear and avoid this.”
Trump stated in September, that Amendment 3 would be “very good” for New York State.
He said, “We’re fine with marijuana.” “It has to reach a certain level of age [to purchase]. You have to do it in an organized, legal way. The way Florida is doing this, I believe will be good. The outcome will be excellent, but the process must be carried out in an ethical manner. You have to clean up your act.”
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Trump had met Kim Rivers the CEO of Trulieve and also a GOP State Senator who supports the reform.
After the meeting, Sen. Joe Gruters, (R), told MEDCAN24 that he was grateful to have been included in a circle of those who could give their opinion. I believe he valued it.
While Trump endorsed the Florida cannabis initiative—as well as federal rescheduling and industry banking access—he has since been silent on cannabis issues. His cabinet members have mixed records when it comes to marijuana policy.
In a report released recently, the Congressional Research Service said that “it remains to be seen how Trump will manage marijuana policy during his second term” and “it’s unknown” if the Drug Enforcement Administration will implement a proposal to reschedule Cannabis.
Mike Pence’s PAC says that the Senate should reject RFK as Trump’s health secretary because he supports marijuana and psychedelic reform.
Gage Skidmore is the photographer.
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