Florida governor's fight against cannabis could get him in trouble

DeSantis continues to fight tooth and nail against recreational marijuana use and other ballot initiatives, and things are not going well for him.

The big news this week was new tapes showing Nixon saying: Marijuana is “non-addictive and dangerous.” Nixon, who had a penchant for making tapes that got him into trouble, was the founder of the war on drugs that still plagues the country today. But some politicians have not listened to reason and science. In fact, the Florida governor's fight against cannabis could be in trouble.

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It's public opinion and the medical community sees the value in legal cannabis because of the positions of the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. But the message has reached Florida. Governor DeSantis has led the fight against marijuana even though a clear majority of his constituents opposed his position. He has used a variety of tactics to get his way, often with poor results. He fought medical marijuana, lost and became popular, he fought the insurance industry and now the Sunshine State has astronomical premiums, he appointed the president of one of the state's leading universities only to abandon him after extravagant spending.

DeSantis opposes citizen-initiated amendments on the ballot in November and has been trying to raise money to counter the flood of voters supporting them. The pro-marijuana group has raised five times as much as the governor's team, reflecting the public's will. But it appears the governor may have resorted to state funds to help. In a two-front battle, DeSantis is also at loggerheads with the Republican presidential candidate, who has said he plans to vote for the initiative, a direct opposition to DeSantis' stance.

A public service in Florida, funded by the state and promoted on social media last week, warns viewers not to drive while under the influence. Halfway through the 30-second video, the narrator says, “In states with legalized marijuana, drunk driving crashes are more common, putting everyone at risk.” The claim that legalization leads to more cases of drunk driving is misleading. Research on the topic is mixed, and even federal reports say that the effects of cannabis use still need more research.

Smart & Safe Florida, the campaign that put Amendment 3 on the November ballot, has sent cease-and-desist letters to about 50 news stations across the state. It seems legal and ethical problems are imminent.

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Ironically, according to the PSA, the state says this is leading to higher insurance premiums. Florida is among the most expensive states for auto insurance. Quadrant Information Services estimates that Florida drivers pay an average of $134 per month or $1,605 per year for auto insurance with minimum coverage. Property owners already pay more than four times the national average for their home insurance, and last year they paid three times as much. The cost of home insurance has increased an average of more than 40% in the last year.