The Florida Department of Health has issued a warning about the risks of marijuana use ahead of the statewide vote on whether to make it legal for adults for recreational use. It’s the latest instance of the DeSantis administration using government resources to try and sway next month’s election.
Tuesday's notice does not mention Amendment 3 on this year’s ballot. The health department said it was intended to remind individuals and health care providers to be aware of potential negative impacts on children and adolescents from marijuana use.
The Florida Department of Transportation used its official social media accounts the past week to amplify an anti-marijuana amendment message from some Florida sheriffs.
Gov. Ron DeSantis opposes the marijuana amendment, saying it would benefit a small number of commercial marijuana producers and would lead to people smoking marijuana openly.
“This is not about freedom because they don’t let you grow your own weed in your own backyard if you want to do that,” DeSantis said Wednesday. “You’ve got to buy it from them. They create a big weed cartel.”
Under the amendment, adults could possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana at a time, or 5 grams of concentrate. In 2016, about 71% of Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana for persons with debilitating diseases. The amendment went into effect in 2017, and recreational marijuana has remained illegal in the state.
This past week, Florida’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, joined the governor’s wife, Casey DeSantis, and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judge to discourage passage of the marijuana amendment.
Ladapo and Casey DeSantis had another news conference in Panama City on the subject on Wednesday.
“If Amendment 3 passes, you will be subjected to the unrelenting smell of pot, and so will our children,” Casey DeSantis said.
The efforts took place as early voting opened in many counties. The administration separately has used executive agencies and public resources to fight against Amendment 4, which would overturn Florida’s anti-abortion restrictions.
Cannabis, the drug marijuana is derived from, affects brain development for youth and young adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The human brain continues to develop until the age of 25, and proactive cannabis consumption has links to issues in attention, memory and learning.
The state health department’s notice this week warned that marijuana use by adolescents “can have significant adverse effects on cognitive and mental health.” The department also said the state’s surgeon general – appointed by DeSantis – recommends that health providers screen their young patients for marijuana use and warn parents about the risks.
Although the amendment does not apply to persons younger than 21, Casey DeSantis warned about children’s safety and comfort.
“As a mom, I am very worried about having a state suffocating in nearly unregulated marijuana usage and the ramifications on our family,” DeSantis said.
Smart and Safe Florida sponsored the Amendment 3 initiative, which was first approved for the ballot in August 2022. Trulieve, a major marijuana dispensary, is the amendment’s main financial backer. The amendment does not limit marijuana cultivation, processing and service to Trulieve.
Ladapo cited a 2023 New York Times article that he said linked marijuana to schizophrenia. The article cited scientific arguments in favor and opposition to expanded marijuana use.
“Just because how our media likes to pick winners and losers, it has gotten very little attention,” Ladapo said.
Judd said Amendment 3 lacks liability for the marijuana companies. He cited health, safety and quality of life were reasons to oppose the amendment. He said law enforcement officers too often investigate drug overdose deaths.
“I’ve had mother after mother after mother tell me it started with marijuana,” Judd said.
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