As the campaign to get recreational cannabis legalized in Florida moves into its next phase, opponents and advocates of the proposal are operating under the same premise: The measure is likely to receive at least majority support by the voters in November. But that’s not good enough in the Sunshine State, which requires more than 60% to pass a constitutional ballot measure.
Luke Niforatos is the executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), which opposes the legalization measure. He says while it will “definitely be a David and Goliath thing” in terms of the fundraising arms race between the two camps, he promises that there will be an organized effort to oppose the measure.
“There are multiple different coalitions that are coming together…they’re going to have some heavy hitters that are going to be involved — no way we’ll be able to match the $40 million plus that the industry has already managed to put in, but I think that our coalition can raise enough money and do enough to educate the public to win this ballot measure,” he says. “I don’t know what that final number looks like, but it will definitely be under 60 percent. But I do think that given there are some very influential people in Florida who will be speaking up. So, I think this will be quite a good fight, but we will be outspent.”
Niforatos didn’t name any of those groups, but he says that they will be coming forward publicly in the next few weeks.
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