DeSantis calls abortion, marijuana amendments too ‘radical’ to pass

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday tore into ballot amendments approved by the Florida Supreme Court this week that would guarantee abortion rights and legalize recreational marijuana for adults.

“Once voters figure out how radical both of those are, they are going to fail,” DeSantis said during a news conference in Davie. “They are very, very extreme.”

The court approved both amendments for the November ballot, ruling their language is clear. They require 60% of the vote to pass.

DeSantis said the abortion amendment was too broad and contended it would create a California-like abortion law and override parental consent.

But Florida has no parental consent law. Instead, it has a parental notification law.

The ballot amendment language specifically says, “This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”

“Look at the weed one,” DeSantis added. “It does not just decriminalize marijuana. It’s a license to have it wherever you want.”

DeSantis said he’s noticed marijuana stores everywhere he travels around the state. “This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns … It will reduce the quality of life. Do we want to have more marijuana in our communities?” he asked. “I don’t think it will work out.”

The amendment would let people 21 and older to “possess, purchase, or use” up to 3 ounces of marijuana products, as well as legalize marijuana accessories.

DeSantis claimed that over the past several election cycles voters have developed a skepticism toward ballot amendments. “They default to ‘no’ on these things,” he said.

However, voters in recent years have approved amendments to limit class sizes in schools, legalize medical marijuana, restore voting rights of felons and raise the state’s minimum wage.