A Fight for Survival Against Recreational Weed in Florida
The hemp farmers of Florida, with DeSantis’s support, are taking a stand against a system rigged in favor of powerful marijuana companies. They argue for a fair and competitive market, where small businesses can thrive without monopolies overshadowing them. They are the Davids in a state full of Goliaths.
Small Businesses vs. Corporate Giants
“This isn’t really a battle of (marijuana) and hemp, per se. The battle is really small business against a couple of giants who have been trying to put us out of business for many years.” Ciaccio said.
Hemp and cannabis are rivals, especially in Florida. Legislation needs to be drawn that won’t sacrifice small businesses in favor of powerful, multi-state operators and corporate marijuana chains like Trulieve. Reworking the amendment would foster healthy competition by protecting small businesses and maintaining the integrity of Florida’s hemp industry.
The Broader Perspective
However, it’s important to acknowledge that not everyone shares the same view. Advocates for recreational marijuana argue that legalization offers a ton of benefits, including safer, regulated products, reduced black market activity, more jobs, and significant tax revenue (in the ballpark of 195.6 and $431.3 million) for the state.
On the other hand, looking at some of the statistics in some other states, many voters in Florida don’t want to worry about more DWI charges, hospital trips, traffic incidents, and other black market activities found actually to increase with legalization.
Smaller advocates, like Christopher Cano, the co-founder of Suncoast NORML, sides with Amendment 3 because, at the very least, it would end marijuana arrests in Florida; last year, prosecutors filed 66,000 charges for very small amounts of marijuana.
“We believe there’s space for both a regulated hemp industry and a robust adult-use and medical marijuana industry in the state of Florida,” he said. “We believe competition is the best thing for all, and that’s the problem: There really is no competition in Florida.”
In the same vein, other proponents argue that the current system disproportionately benefits large medical marijuana corporations and that legalization could democratize access to cannabis, allowing smaller players to enter the market.
However, the way the amendment is set up would be to pat the medical dispensaries on the back by giving them licenses to sell recreational marijuana immediately, more or less monopolizing the industry with only a limited number of licenses to be awarded. Corporations currently run the majority of medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida, and as written, it would give them a leg up, possibly pushing people looking to break into recreational marijuana out before they could even get the chance to enter.
Now that hemp is siding with the Florida government, many advocates for recreational weed believe that hemp is just being used as a pawn in this race and that once the rec Amendment is defeated, he will turn his back on hemp and work towards tightening restrictions on them. Others disagree with hemp completely, claiming that it’s unregulated and dangerous and just simply not as good as a regulated, recreational marijuana market.
David Culver, senior vice president of public affairs at the U.S. Cannabis Council in Washington, D.C., said in an email to MJBiz Daily, “Gov. DeSantis is raising millions from makers of unregulated intoxicating hemp products in an effort to block Florida’s Amendment 3, which would implement a carefully regulated adult-use cannabis program. If Gov. DeSantis has his way, adults will have easy access to unregulated, potentially dangerous intoxicating hemp products, but they will continue to have to jump through numerous hoops in order to buy safe, legal cannabis.”
Final Thoughts
As we look at the ongoing battle between Florida’s hemp farmers and the major marijuana corporations, it’s clear that this is about a lot more than just whether or not we can enjoy legal weed any time soon. It’s about the survival of small businesses, the principles of fair competition, and the future of an industry that many Floridians rely on for their livelihood.
Governor DeSantis and the hemp industry have drawn a line in the sand, but the fight is far from over. While some see the push for recreational marijuana as a path to economic growth and personal safety and freedom, others fear it will lead to monopolistic control and the demise of small, local businesses.
This issue challenges us to consider what we value more: the potential economic benefits of a regulated marijuana market or the preservation of a diverse, competitive hemp industry that empowers small businesses and protects local jobs. It invites us to reflect on the kind of community we want to build and support.
As November approaches, Floridians will have to weigh these competing interests carefully. The decision will shape the state’s economic landscape and affect thousands of lives. It’s a moment to think deeply about your priorities, the role of government in protecting small businesses, and how we can ensure a fair and thriving market for all.
In the end, the question isn’t just about cannabis. It’s about what kind of Florida we want to live in. Will we support the giants, or will we stand with our neighbors and friends fighting for their place in the sun? The choice is ours, and it’s one that will resonate far beyond the immediate issue at hand.
