Sarasota GOP state Sen. and former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Joe Gruters is endorsing Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 years and older.
In doing so, he is going up against Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party of Florida, who formally came out in opposition to the proposal in May.
In an interview, Gruters explained why he was coming out now to support the amendment.
“It’s based on a lot of conversations that I had with constituents and people that are in the process,” he told the Phoenix. “To me it’s a realization of where we are, where we’re at as a society, what people are doing, what’s happened with medical marijuana over all, and I think it’s just been an evolving decision to which I said, ‘Let’s come out and support it. Let’s try to help this win and let’s get ahead of this to make sure we do it right.’”
Gruters is the highest ranked Republican in the Legislature to announce his support for the measure. A certified public accountant, he chaired the Republican Party of Florida from 2019 to 2023. He has served in the Florida Legislature since 2016 – serving one term as a representative before being elected to the state Senate in 2022.
When asked about the fact that Republican Party of Florida is opposing the measure, Gruters said, “The party should take positions that they believe, although I personally disagree on this personal subject.”
He’s also an ally of former President Donald Trump and served as Florida co-chairman of Trump’s 2016 campaign. After Gruters became one of the few GOP members of the Legislature to endorse Trump over DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, the governor vetoed several of his projects in the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget.
“Simply because I support his political opponent, the governor chose to punish ordinary Floridians who want better water quality, less traffic congestion, and increased resources for disabled children to find gainful employment,” Gruters told Florida Politics last year. “It’s mean-spirited acts like this that are defining him here and across the country.”
DeSantis has been explicit about how much he disdains Amendment 3 and has said he will do what he can to topple the measure this fall. That includes raising money through his Florida Freedom Fund political committee.
“This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and counties. It will reduce the quality of life,” the governor said days after the Florida Supreme Court approved putting the measure on the November ballot.
But Gruters, who worked for years on getting a bill passed that bans smoking on public beaches in Florida, said that he has “full faith and confidence that the governor and the Legislature can put up guardrails to make sure that we do it right.”
“I’m confident that we can do it,” he said. “Like, I said, I do not like smoking in public. Listen, it took a long time to pass that [law] to give the power back to communities to be able to get rid of it on beaches. We can control the timing, the place, and all that with legislation. That’s what I think we need to focus on, and I think that we can get that right in Florida.”
“We are honored to have Sen. Gruters’ support, yet another example of the expansive coalition behind legalizing recreational adult use marijuana,” said Morgan Hill, spokesperson for Smart & Safe Florida. “Individual liberty is not a partisan issue, and we’re glad to have Sen. Gruters on board to help spread our message of personal freedom and a safer Florida for all.”
Cops in opposition
While Gruters’ endorsement is a coup for the pro-Amendment 3 campaign, two major law enforcement organizations this week declared their opposition to the proposed amendment.
“The well-being and health of the citizens of Florida are threatened through the legalization and normalization of recreational marijuana,” said Florida Sheriffs Association President and Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummel in a statement. “Our priority is the safety and security of our communities, and the data clearly shows that legalization leads to increased public health issues, road safety concerns, and a rise in youth marijuana use.”
Also opposing the measure is the Florida Police Chiefs Association, composed of more than 1,300 of Florida’s top law enforcement executives.
“As we represent the highest levels of law enforcement leadership in Florida, we believe that passage of Constitutional Amendment 3 ‘Adult Use of Marijuana’ – otherwise known as recreational marijuana – will hurt public safety and ultimately cost Floridians tax dollars and lives,” said Florida Police Chiefs Association President Chief Charles Vazquez in a statement.
The story has been updated with comments from Sen. Gruters.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: [email protected]. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
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