Trump and Marijuana

As a Floridian, Trump will vote to legalize it. As president, he’s much more cautious.

Florida will also hold a referendum on marijuana legalization on Election Day, November 5. The ballot item is called “Amendment 3.” The state’s governor and Trump’s former Republican primary opponent, Ron DeSantis, is strongly opposed to legalization.

Trump has been ambiguous on the issue in the past, but now he’s taken a clear position (on this particular referendum): he’s for legalization. On his Truth Social network, he wrote: “As a Floridian, I will vote YES on Amendment 3 this November. As president, I will continue to focus on research to get marijuana listed as a Schedule 3 drug for medical purposes and work with Congress to pass common-sense legislation.”

“Schedule 3” means the substance is controlled but not criminal, and can therefore be prescribed by doctors, for example, as a painkiller, without having to fill out the paperwork required for prescription drugs. In Florida, we are talking about much more. If Amendment 3 passes, medical marijuana producers will be able to sell cannabis for recreational purposes.

It is worth noting that many conservatives do not see a problem with this solution. From their point of view, people will still smoke marijuana, and if it is legalized, it will be possible to avoid “unnecessary” arrests for possession of the drug. Ron DeSantis counters that the practice is much darker. In Colorado, marijuana is legalized, and there it is used everywhere (both legally sold and by cartels), and many areas simply reek of cannabis smoke, and children can see it all.

At the same time, DeSantis says, there are currently no arrests for the use or possession of small amounts of marijuana in Florida. But the passage of Amendment 3 will allow anyone to transport virtually unlimited amounts of cannabis. DeSantis is furious. He said: “Under the Florida constitution, they are creating a drug cartel. And they will not be held accountable for growing and selling marijuana.”

One way or another, the marijuana issue is more advantageous politically under Trump’s approach. At the federal level, he promises to reform its medical use, and leave the issue of recreational use to the discretion of the states. Neither of the radical positions — an unambiguous ban or unconditional legalization — is very popular with voters. And this says a lot about the state of American society and politics.

At the same time, marijuana is definitely a drug. Even if the direct harm of its use is disputed by some experts, it is through it that people are drawn into drug use in most cases.

According to a joint study by the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University and the Spanish University of Oviedo, 75% of illegal drug use in the United States is marijuana.

At the same time, 44.7% of people who used marijuana move on (at least temporarily) to using other illegal substances. But it is almost impossible to fight this trend in the United States. At least now, when the split in society has not only not been overcome, but is deepening.

This article is not an advertisement or propaganda for any drugs. Drugs are evil that kill.