JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – During a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office town hall meeting on Thursday, Sheriff TK Waters spoke out strongly against Amendment 3, a November ballot initiative that, if passed, would legalize marijuana use in Florida for people 21 and older.

“I am absolutely against it,” he said.

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Waters told those present that his stance probably didn’t surprise anyone “because I’m a police officer,” adding that he didn’t believe legalization would be good for the state.

“Marijuana smoke is the most disgusting smell to me,” he said. “I was in Stockton, California, not long ago, and as I walked from one place to another, there was only marijuana smoke in the air. Why do I have to smell everyone else’s smoke?”

“I don’t want drugs legal in our city. I don’t want drugs legal in our state. I don’t want drugs legal in our country. That’s not good for us. That’s not good for our community.”

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Waters also claimed that legalizing marijuana would lead to more traffic accidents.

“When you are impaired, the first thing you lose is your judgment,” he said.

A 2022 study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that the combined effect of legalization and retail sales resulted in a 5.8% increase in the injury crash rate and a 4.1% increase in the fatal crash rate between 2009 and 2019.

“Across all states, the impact on the injury crash rate ranged from a 7% decrease to an 18% increase. The impact on the fatal crash rate ranged from a 10% decrease to a 4% increase,” the study found.

Waters said if the amendment receives the 60% of the vote needed to pass, he would consider increasing alcohol testing.

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Proponents of recreational marijuana argue that legalization would allow for quality control and regulation that would give consumers access to safer products.

Additionally, according to a report from the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference released in July 2023, recreational marijuana in Florida would generate between $195 million and $431 million per year in sales tax revenue. Most of that sales tax revenue would go to the state, just like any other sales tax. However, there are currently no plans to allocate the money to a specific use.

Some states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use have imposed separate excise taxes in addition to regular sales taxes and designated specific uses for the additional tax revenue.

In Arizona:

• 34% of proceeds go to community college districts

• 34% goes to public safety, including police and fire service

• 25% goes to the Highway User Revenue Fund

In Oregon:

• 40% of cannabis taxes go into a state school fund

• 20% goes to psychiatric treatment or to the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, early interventions and treatment

• 15% goes to the state police

• 10% goes to cities

• 10% goes to the districts

• 5% goes back to the Oregon Health Authority for a separate program

If passed, lawmakers would have to impose additional taxes to direct marijuana tax revenues to specific purposes.

A total of 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.