The Vote No on 3 Campaign – which calls on Florida voters to reject the legalization of marijuana in the Sunshine State – is attempting to rebuke the idea that a large amount of marijuana possession offenders are currently in jail for the crime.
The Vote No on 3 Campaign cites Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon, who wrote an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times regarding this issue. He stated, “There are no inmates serving time exclusively for possessing 20 grams or less of marijuana” because “In fact, Florida State law does not permit a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession of 20 grams or less alone to lead to incarceration in a state prison. The narrative being promoted by some activists that individuals are imprisoned solely for minor marijuana possession is a lie.
Secretary Dixon would also state that those who are in prison for the primary offense of marijuana possession have been hit with a charge consistent with trafficking (20 ounces or more). Still, every single one of these persons had their sentences upped for “Either an extensive criminal record or severe accompanying crimes like grand theft, battery, child abuse or possession of other illicit substances” and make up less than .05% of the total inmate population.
In an ad in favor of the passage of Amendment 3, personal injury lawyer John Morgan released an ad saying that “too many adults are sitting in our jails simply because they were using marijuana, and that is just wrong. If I was your governor, I would free or parole every person in jail for possession and then expunge everyone’s record.”
With all of this in mind, Sarah Bascom, the spokesperson for the Vote No on 3 Campaign criticized Morgan and others who want to release and expunge the sentences of those who have been jailed for marijuana possession as they have all been offenders of other crimes such as child abuse.
“This notion that there are scores of people incarcerated for simply carrying around or smoking a joint or two is what is commonly referred to as an urban legend. It’s nothing more than those who support Amendment 3 spreading misinformation and misrepresenting the facts to Florida voters,” said Bascom. “To be very clear, since there are ‘no inmates’ in Florida’s prisons for simple possession and only 37 for possession plus other crimes, we want to know why those behind Amendment 3 favor releasing those with extensive criminal records, including child abusers, back into our neighborhoods?”
Floridians will have the chance to voice their opinion on Nov. 5.
