Florida is utilizing thousands and thousands of {dollars} in settlement cash from opioid producers and distributors to bankroll Governor Ron DeSantis’s ongoing anti-cannabis marketing campaign, based on state data. State legislation stipulates the opioid settlement belief fund is supposed to “abate the opioid epidemic” and supply sources for affected communities.
Nonetheless, the state Division of Kids and Households, reported the Tampa Bay Occasions on Friday, spent $4 million to pay a advertising and marketing company for an “promoting marketing campaign geared toward educating Floridian households and youth in regards to the risks of marijuana, opioid, and drug use,” elevating questions on misusing sources earmarked for the opioid disaster.
The outlet famous that the division didn’t reply to questions on what that marketing campaign consists of, although in current weeks it has launched two advertisements warning in regards to the risks of marijuana use amongst youngsters, linking hashish use to schizophrenia and different psychological diseases.
One menacing advert says that marijuana now’s “engineered by companies all for one goal: to rewire the human thoughts.”
Misuse Of Funds
Funds from the opioid settlement had been secured via lawsuits in opposition to pharmaceutical firms and distributors, similar to Purdue Pharma, which was chargeable for fueling the opioid epidemic that killed lots of of 1000’s of Individuals, many from overdoses linked to Purdue’s OxyContin.
Learn Additionally: DeSantis Battles Former Allies Donald Trump, Jeff Roe Over Florida’s Hashish Legalization Push
Bipartisan Group Speaks Out
A gaggle of bipartisan officers and public well being specialists voiced considerations over what they stated was a misuse of public cash by the DeSantis administration to undermine the hashish legalization initiative, generally known as Modification 3, however principally noting that such a marketing campaign doesn’t align with the first goal of the opioid settlement. Over the following 20 years, Florida is predicted obtain about $3 billion in cash from lawsuits.
“Below no circumstance ought to the state authorities be capable of determine, with out enter from the legislature, that $50 million owed to the taxpayers will probably be spent on a political agenda,” stated lawyer John Morgan in a press convention Friday together with State Senators Joe Gruters (R) and Jason Pizzo (D).
Different Tax-Payer Funded Advertisements
A tax-payer-funded advert in September sparked outrage when the Division of Transportation (DOT) equated hashish with DUI crashes, saying that legalized marijuana is “placing everybody in danger.”
One other in mid-October shocked many Floridians when the DOT got here out with advert through which three sheriffs make varied claims in regards to the harms of hashish, together with one who prompt that marijuana use is related to a higher threat of home violence.
Now Learn:
Picture Shutterstock
Market Information and Knowledge dropped at you by Benzinga APIs
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga doesn’t present funding recommendation. All rights reserved.
