Florida’s Catholic Bishops Urge No Vote On Amendment 3

You’d have thought they’d have more pressing matters to discuss but no ….

Florida’s Catholic bishops are urging residents to vote no on a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in the Sunshine State as activists on both sides continue to funnel millions of dollars into the record-breaking campaign.

Amendment 3, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older, is the most expensive cannabis-focused campaign in United States history.

As of late September, supporters of the initiative have spent more than $90 million to encourage a yes vote and opponents have spent more than $14 million to urge Floridians to vote no, according to Ballotpedia.

The initiative would change Article X of the state constitution, which already has provisions for the medicinal use of marijuana. A yes vote would add a subsection for “personal use,” which states that a person would no longer need to be “a qualifying patient” to obtain marijuana.

Any adult 21 years old or older would be allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana.

To adopt a constitutional amendment via ballot referendum, supporters need to obtain a yes vote from 60% of voters. Some polls have shown supporters meeting that mark, but other polls have shown the referendum falling short of that threshold.

Bishops warn of increased use of marijuana, risks

One staunch opponent of the referendum is the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB), along with the various Catholic dioceses around the state.

“Legalizing marijuana makes it more accessible, removes the criminal penalties and stigma attributable to it, and creates the impression that it is safe to use,” a statement issued by the FCCB reads.

“Taken together, these factors ultimately lead to increased use of the drug — by as much as 20% in adults,” it adds, citing a 2023 study published in Sage Journals.

The bishops cautioned that some marijuana products have higher levels of THC — the psychoactive component in marijuana that produces the “high” — than products in previous decades.

This, the bishops warn, can exacerbate the effects of consuming the drug, such as the loss of coordination, impaired decision-making, and diminished brain function while under the influence.

They also express concern about the long-term effects on developing brains and the dangers posed to unborn children if pregnant women consume marijuana.

The statement also references the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that “the use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life” and calls drug usage outside of therapeutic treatments “a grave offense” (No. 2291).

The Florida bishops also reference a quote from Pope Francis in which the pontiff calls drugs “evil” and says “there can be no yielding or compromise,” urging “no to every type of drug use.”

A spokesperson for the FCCB told CNA that the bishops have shared their statement with pastors and parishes and have made themselves available for presentations.

Neither the bishops’ conference nor the dioceses are financially contributing to the “no” campaign, the spokesperson said.