DeSantis Provokes Outrage Over Taxpayer-Funded Ads Linking Marijuana Legalization To Car Crashes
Paige Dingler/The News & Advance via AP
The ad, produced by the Florida Department of Transportation, warns against the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) faces a public relations lashing for leveraging a taxpayer-funded advertisement to influence voters against the marijuana legalization measure, known as Amendment 3, which will be decided upon in the November 2024 election.
The ad, produced by the Florida Department of Transportation, warns against the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis.
In the middle of the 30-second video warning viewers not to drive high, the narrator says, "DUI crashes increase in states with legalized marijuana, putting everyone at risk."
Outrage Ensues
The ad sparked anger among advocates with Smart & Safe Florida, the campaign that helped put Amendment 3 on the ballot. The campaign called the DeSantis-backed Vote No on 3 political committee of using state resources to amplify an opposition talking point at a lower cost by channeling the message through a government agency.
The campaign sent cease and desist letters to about 50 news stations across Florida. In it, the group condemns the use of taxpayer money to disseminate what they call a "ruse to obtain the highly discounted rates" for airing PSAs.
"Florida law demands that campaigns be operated in the sunshine," the Smart & Safe letter said. "Accepting taxpayer funds to broadcast State Propaganda under the guise of a public service announcement — and at an anticompetitive and severely discounted rate — should not be countenanced."
The campaign also criticized the refusal of TV stations to air what Smart & Safe called a “politically neutral” alternative, accusing them of participating in a scheme to secure discounted rates for the ad. The news was first reported by Politico on Tuesday.
Suggesting a direct link between marijuana legalization and increased impaired driving is seen as misleading, with some research indicating mixed results on the matter. Federal reports have also stated that the impact of cannabis on driving is not yet fully understood.
GOP and Dem Politicians Weigh In
The controversy has drawn further attention from political figures like Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, who criticized DeSantis for using public funds to campaign against not only the marijuana legalization initiative but a separate reproductive rights measure, known as Amendment 4.
Meanwhile, Jeff Brandes, a former Republican state senator, warned that the governor’s actions set a dangerous precedent, suggesting that such use of public funds may not be permissible under Florida’s budget.
