Trulieve’s Push for Legalization: A Vision for Adult Marijuana Use in Florida
Trulieve, a company that makes medical marijuana, gave a lot of money to Smart & Safe Florida, the political group that put forward the amendment to allow adults to use marijuana on the November ballot.
Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, talked to NBC6 on Wednesday about why people want to make marijuana legal for adult use in Florida.
It was the first business in Florida to have a full license to sell medical marijuana. It has become an important part of the fight to make marijuana legal for adults. If it is allowed, it will be great for business for them, but Rivers said it would also be good for people in Florida.
“We’re thrilled. “It’s been a long time coming,” Rivers said. Rivers is sure that the amendment in Florida that would make marijuana use legal for adults will pass in November.
“The polling on this issue has been very good, and I think it’s important to note that it’s not just the numbers.” It’s also the factors that are at play. You can’t just blame Republicans or Democrats for this, she said.
If Amendment 3 passes, Trulieve’s medical marijuana shops could be the first places where people 21 and older could buy marijuana.
Rivers said, “We know we have a fentanyl problem because it’s often mixed with marijuana bought on the black market.” “This provides a safe alternative for adults 21 and up who do want to consume, and they should be able to do that in a safe environment.”
Rivers also said that if pot use is legalized for recreational purposes, the state can tax it.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars can be made for the Florida economy, and jobs can be created,” Rivers said.
But some people are against it. For example, Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke out against it when he was in southwest Florida not long ago.
And he said, “I’ve been to cities where this is everywhere. It smells bad and there are other things.”
Desantis says the smell of the pot could hurt companies.
“If that were to come to pass, people in the downtown areas in different communities this is gonna be part of your community,” he stated.
However, Trulieve thinks that the benefits of making marijuana legal for recreational use in Florida are much bigger.
She explained, “This isn’t like the wild, wild west where nothing is controlled.” “We’re talking about making the market safe and regulated.” Rivers makes it clear that there would be some limits if Amendment 3 were to pass.
Rivers said, “I do expect the legislature to make a regulatory system that is unique to Florida. We have great tourism here.” “As the mother of two middle schoolers, I would expect that people would not be able to smoke or vape in public, for example, and that we would have some rules.”