Voters in Florida will soon decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana. DeSantis is against it and getting support from an unlikely ally: the hemp industry.
Though marijuana and hemp are both varieties of the cannabis plant, Florida officials police each differently. Marijuana is allowed only for medicinal purposes, while hemp is widely permitted. The result is a booming market for intoxicating hemp products, some of which public health experts warn are dangerous.
If recreational marijuana becomes legal, Gomes and other hemp sellers worry their industry will take a hit as big-money dispensaries begin welcoming more customers. It’s the latest chapter in a feud between two cannabis industries bringing billions to the state, and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is now in the center of it.