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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is attacking a 2026 marijuana legalization initiative, claiming it fuels the black market and benefits “big weed,” citing Colorado as an example of failure. But Colorado Gov. Jared Polis strongly disagrees. Polis notes that Colorado has collected over $3 billion in marijuana tax revenue, funding schools, roads, and recreation centers, all while nearly all sales now occur through licensed retailers. The state has successfully regulated its market, not expanded the underground economy.
DeSantis’s attacks also ignore his own administration’s controversial tactics, including allegedly diverting millions in Medicaid funds to fight a 2024 ballot initiative that voters overwhelmingly supported. Meanwhile, Florida’s Smart & Safe campaign — the group leading the effort to put marijuana legalization on the 2026 ballot — has verified over 660,000 signatures for the 2026 measure — triple the required threshold — yet state officials have stalled the review process, prompting lawsuits over attempts to invalidate legitimate petitions. Read the full story.
Referenced article written by . Published on November 13, 2025 by Marijuana Moment.
