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Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has declared that he will be voting ‘yes’ on a Florida ballot initiative legalizing adult-use marijuana sales and says that, if elected, he will work with Congress to enact reforms at the federal level, including SAFER Banking.
In a new social media post, Trump stated: “I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use. We must also implement smart regulations, while providing access for adults to [a] safe, tested product. As a Floridian, I will be voting YES on Amendment 3 this November. As President, we will continue to focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug, and work with Congress to pass common sense laws, including SAFE banking for state authorized companies, and supporting states rights to pass marijuana laws, like in Florida, that work so well for their citizens.”
It is the second time in recent days that the former President has posted comments online in support of marijuana policy reform. In a prior post, he stated, “We do not need to ruin lives and waste taxpayers’ dollars arresting adults with personal amounts of it on them.” In that same post, he had predicted passage of Florida’s Amendment 3 initiative, which permits existing medical cannabis facilities to engage in adult-use marijuana sales, but he did not explicitly state whether he intended to vote for it.
Trump’s statements come weeks after he added former independent Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, Jr. and former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard to his transition team. Both have long been outspoken advocates of legalizing marijuana. Previously, Trump had expressed criticism of states’ decisions to legalize the adult-use of marijuana — opining that, in some instances, legalization has led to “big problems.”
Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has repeatedly said that “nobody should have to go to jail” for possessing marijuana. As a US Senator, she sponsored legislation to end the federal prohibition of cannabis. In March, Harris led a round-table discussion with marijuana pardon recipients. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, signed adult-use legalization legislation into law in 2023, stating: “We’ve known for too long that prohibiting the use of cannabis hasn’t worked. By legalizing adult-use cannabis, we’re expanding our economy, creating jobs, and regulating the industry to keep Minnesotans safe.”
NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said, “In an election where every vote counts, both Trump and Harris wisely see advocating for marijuana policy reform as an opportunity to connect with a wide range of potential voters.” He noted that recent polling from swing states — including Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — finds that voters overwhelmingly back legalizing marijuana.
Armentano concluded, “At a time when voters are historically divided, ending America’s failed marijuana policies is one issue that Americans largely agree on.”
Additional Election 2024 coverage is available from NORML.
