Trulieve Sues Florida GOP Over Alleged Legalization Misinformation
October 8, 2024Trulieve, a major supporter of Florida’s upcoming legalization initiative, has sued the Sunshine State’s Republican party, alleging that the Florida GOP has defamed the campaign for legalization. The complaint accuses the Florida Republican party, as well as two local TV stations, of deliberately spreading false information about Amendment 3 and what a legal market would look like in Florida.
In the complaint, Trulieve alleges that the GOP-supported ads falsely claim that legal cannabis in Florida would be restricted to large corporations like Trulieve, at the expense of Florida small business owners. The ads include mailers and a television spot, with opponents to Amendment 3 attempting to paint the initiative as a monopolistic grab from large cannabis companies like Trulieve. Trulieve’s counterargument is that the state could always issue more cannabis licenses, increasing competition in the market after legal sales begin.
In addition, one of the ads in question, says Trulieve’s complaint, unfairly suggests that the legalization initiative would also restrict Floridians ability to grow their own cannabis. Homegrown cannabis, as the company points out, is illegal under a separate Florida law unaffected by Amendment 3.
The lawsuit and wider fight over Amendment 3 come as mail-in voting in Florida is underway. While those against the initiative have focused on Trulieve’s size and potential for monopolistic behaviors, pro-legalization groups like Smart & Safe Florida have focused on the support for legalization from both major parties’ presidential candidates. Last week, Smart & Safe Florida released “We’re All Saying the Same Thing,” a new ad showing Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Donald Trump, and J.D. Vance all supporting cannabis legalization.—Shane English
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