Ballot initiative

Florida Governor’s Fight Against Cannabis Could Put Him In Hot Water

Published

2 months ago

September 25, 2024

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DeSantis is continuing to go full steam against recreational marijuana and other ballot initiatives, and it is not going well for him.

The big news this week has been new tapes revealing Nixon stated marijuana was “not addictive and dangerous.” Nixon, who had a penchant for tapes which got him in trouble, was the founder of the War on Drugs, which plagues the country to this day. But some leaders haven’t listened to reason and science. In fact the Florida’s governor’s fight against cannabis could put in hot water.

It is public opinion and the medical community see value in legal cannabis by the positions of the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. But the message has reached Florida. Governor DeSantis has lead the fight against marijuana, despite the a significant majority of his voters opposing his position. He has used a variety of tactics to get his way, often with poor results. He fought medical marijuana, lost and his popular, he has fought the insurance industry and now the sunshine state has sky high premiums, he appointed a president of one the states premier university only for him to leave after extravagant spending.

DeSantis opposes citizen-led amendments on the ballot this November and has tried to rise money to combat the swell of voters who support them. Reflecting the will of the public, the pro marijuana group has raised 5 times the amount as the governor’s team. But it seems the governor may have dipped into state funds to help. In a two-front battle, DeSantis is also at odds with the GOP Presidential nominee who. stated he plans to vote yes for the initiative. A direct opposition to DeSantis stance.

A Florida public service announcement, funded by the state and promoted on social media last week, warns viewers not to drive high. In the middle of the 30-second video, the narrator says, “DUI crashes increase in states with legalized marijuana, putting everyone at risk.” The claim legalization leads to increased instances of impaired driving is misleading. Research on the topic has been mixed, and even federal reports have said the effects of cannabis use needs more research.

Smart & Safe Florida, the campaign that put Amendment 3 on the November ballot, sent cease and desist letters to about 50 news stations across the state. It seems legal and ethic issues are right around the corner.

One irony is the state is PSA talks about it causing higher insurance rates. Florida is among the most expensive states for auto insurance. According to estimates from Quadrant Information Services, Florida drivers pay $134 per month or $1,605 per year on average for minimum-coverage auto insurance. Property owners already pay more than four times the national average for home insurance, up from triple the national average just last year. The cost of homeowners insurance on average increased more than 40% in the last year.

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Ballot initiative

Will DeSantis Let Floridians Vote On Marijuana

Published

3 months ago

September 10, 2024

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In his quest as a foe of legal cannabis and for running a nanny state, will DeSantis allow Floridians to vote for marijuana?

DeSantis is recovering from his failed presidential bid and is working to shore up his reputation in Florida. He is known for being tough, driven and getting things his way. His historic fight with Disney has drawn national attention, but hasn’t fully gone as DeSantis planned. His reputation is bruised and he is stepping up his tactics. He has opposed legal cannabis from the beginning, so will DeSantis let Floridians vote on marijuana?

Currently, DeSantis is using state resources to try to block the Sunshine State citizens from voting on another issues, but what about marijuana? DeSantis, despite receiving campaign donations from a few large cannabis operators, has been adamantly opposed.

Governor DeSantis Wants It Both Ways On Marijuana — Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

When medical marijuana was first put on the ballot, citizens were supportive. It was reasonable considering the amount of veterans and senior citizens in the state. PTSD and chronic pain are two of the ways the American Medical Association, Health and Human Services and science acknowledge cannabis has medical benefits. In general, Florida is in the top 3 states with retirees, a group the Governor thought he can rely on for support, but the state supported medical marijuana by 61%. The governor said it wasn’t enough support, and made them vote again, clearly sharing he did not want it passed. It passed with 71%. Now the state wants to pass recreational marijuana via a ballot initiative and the governor is unhappy.

The pro-marijuana group gained enough signatures and has out raised the opposition $75 million to $14 million. In different current ballot initiative, DeSantis has taken another tack. The other group also gained enough signatures and traction. But in an unprecedented move, the Governor has used state resource to go door to door to ask people if they signed the petition. Also, the governor has also allowed a state agency’s seal to be used in ads against a ballot initiative, a highly usual move.

The GOP Presidential candidate has come out in support of recreational cannabis in Florida, but, so far, it has not swayed DeSantis in his stance. The GOP leader and the governor have a fraught relationship, so it is unclear if it will make a difference in campaign.

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