Florida Records Show Florida Uses Millions of Dollars in Settlements with Opioid Manufacturers and Distributors to Target Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older It has come to light that it was reported that it was diverted to.
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The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) recently awarded nearly $4 million from the Florida Opioid Settlement Trust Fund to Tallahassee-based marketing agency Strategic for an educational campaign on “The Dangers of Marijuana, Opioids, and Drug Use.”・Assigned to digital services. ” is written specifically for Florida families and youth. Order information can be found here.
Two ads were recently released as part of this effort to highlight the potential mental health risks of teen marijuana use, including its link to schizophrenia. One ad claims that modern cannabis is “engineered by corporations for one purpose: to rewire the human mind.”
Below is one of the advertisements.
Research shows that marijuana can cause significant damage to young people’s developing brains, increasing their risk of psychotic disorders, suicide, and loss of learning ability. Protect your children from the risks of heavy marijuana use. pic.twitter.com/jc7gZM0ja8
— Florida Department of Children and Families (@MyFLFamilies) October 21, 2024
Although the ad does not name the amendment, supporters of Amendment 3 argue that it represents a deliberate effort by the administration to sway voters ahead of the November election. .
Read: Former President Trump announces he will vote yes on Florida’s Third Amendment to legalize marijuana
Amendment 3 Scrutiny of Funding from Supporters:
The use of the Opioid Settlement Fund, aimed at alleviating the opioid epidemic, has raised questions among Third Amendment supporters, who argue that campaigns are cannibalizing public funds for political advertising. are.
The $4 million deal with Strategic Digital Services will be funded by Florida’s Opioid Settlement Trust, which was established as part of a multibillion-dollar agreement to hold drug companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. .
Over the next 20 years, Florida will receive $3 billion from the national opioid settlement, which will be directed toward combating the opioid epidemic. State law mandates the use of trust funds to combat the opioid crisis, but also includes provisions for a wide range of substance use disorders.
The ad focuses on a campaign focused on marijuana rather than opioids, raising questions about the DeSantis administration’s allocation choices heading into the election.
Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) joined a bipartisan group of Third Amendment supporters at a press conference Friday to criticize the administration for allegedly using funds to advance a political agenda. . “At the end of the day, tax dollars shouldn’t be used to fund propaganda,” Gruters said.
DCF has not yet disclosed whether both recent ads fall under its $4 million contract with Strategic Digital Services, but the ads were run after the deal was finalized and the opioid settlement money It has been suggested that the funds may have been used to fund the campaign.
Campaign against amendment:
In recent weeks, Governor DeSantis has launched an anti-amendment campaign, leveraging state resources against ballot measures such as Amendment 3 and Amendment 4, amendments aimed at enshrining the right to abortion in the Floria Constitution. It is being strengthened.
Read: DeSantis escalates legal fight against Fourth Amendment abortion ads, leverages state resources in opposition
In numerous press conferences around the state, the DeSantis administration warned of what he called the “dangers” of legal marijuana, saying the Third Amendment was “more liberal” than laws in Colorado and California. ” he said. At one press conference, he invited a mother who lost her son to opioids to tell her story about how the administration’s war on marijuana, which is a gateway to more powerful drugs, began.
Below is the referenced press conference: (Note: The mother appears in the press conference starting at timestamp 37:30.)
Meanwhile, Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo are also joining the movement against the amendment.
The first lady has publicly opposed the amendment, attending several law enforcement-sponsored events.
“This is not about freedom. This is about corporate greed,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ladapo, who has previously been criticized by federal authorities for spreading misinformation about coronavirus vaccines, recently spoke out about marijuana’s potential health risks in a television interview.
Upcoming votes:
With early voting underway and a recent UNF poll showing 67% of Americans support the Third Amendment, this election marks a significant policy shift in Florida. There is a possibility. While the DeSantis administration claims the measure will endanger public health, Third Amendment supporters say the measure will provide states with much-needed tax revenue and allow them to safely regulate marijuana. claims.
The final decision now rests with voters who will vote on November 5th. In Florida, each amendment requires a 60% supermajority to pass, making your vote even more important in determining the direction of the state.
Read: What’s on Florida’s 2024 ballot?: A complete guide to six proposed state amendments
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