Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate for 2024, has appointed six members to the Drug Policy Advisory Council of his state. The council includes a diverse mix of stakeholders including a sheriff that campaigned against a ballot initiative on medical cannabis, which voters approved, and another sheriff that supports marijuana decriminalization.
A pastor and another sheriff also appear on the panel. The pastor believes that Southern Baptists need to “take a deep breath” and stop making moderate alcohol consumption “an issue”.
As required by a 2011 law, the governor appointed six people to the advisory board late last month. The panel falls under the Department of Health and is responsible for studying drug abuse and drug control. It then submits findings and recommendations to Governor’s Office.
The newly appointed advisory council members include two religious leaders, three local law enforcement officers and a mental health advocate executive. As activists work separately to place a cannabis-legalization initiative on Florida’s ballot in the coming year, the past comments and actions of the panel members may inform the administration’s reaction, even though the governor has made it clear that he is opposed to the reform.
This is an overview of drug policy background of the new DeSantis nominees to the council.
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco
As part of the Florida Sheriff’s Association, the sheriff ran a campaign against the 2016 ballot initiative legalizing medical marijuana in Florida.
Nocco stated that “I would not have opposed it if the amendment truly focused on medicinal marijuana like Charlotte’s Web.” “However the real goal of this amendment is to legalize recreational marijuana, which I am against.”
His office worked with local groups to extend the moratorium that prohibits medical cannabis growers and processors, as well as distributors, from operating within the county.
He stated that it was the citizens’ choice. However, they should evaluate the unintended effects in Colorado. The office had been promoting statistics to try to link the opening of marijuana businesses to an increase in crime and impaired driving.
Nocco helped to push in 2012 for a boycott against stores selling synthetic cannabinoids, which were technically legal as the substances had not yet been scheduled.
They will either stop selling or lose revenue,” he said. He stated. “Either we make our point or save lives.”
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister
Chronister stands out as an advisor, because he publicly praised the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners’ vote to decriminalize the possession of up 20 grams of pot, making it civil offenses instead of misdemeanors.
In a 2020 statement, he stated: “I commend Commissioner Les Miller and the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners for working with us to create a fair enforcement and lower financial burdensome penalties regarding marijuana possession.” It is important to have consistent enforcement throughout Hillsborough County.
He said, “This ordinance allows the Sheriff’s Office as well as the State Attorney’s Office focus their resources on arresting violent offenders and prosecuting them.”
Chronister also made headlines earlier this year when he reported that an assistant in his office was arrested for selling edible marijuana to prisoners he was overseeing.
He was one of 64 sheriffs to endorse Florida Attorney-General Ashley Moody (R), whose main goal is to invalidate the marijuana legalization ballot measure by filing legal challenges at the state Supreme Court.
Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell
The sheriff, flanked with masked deputies and armed firearms, appeared in a PSA film, where he delivered a threat to heroin dealers. The video became viral and made national headlines.
“I say to the dealers: ‘Enjoy constantly looking over your shoulders, wondering if this is the day that we will come after you. “Enjoy trying to sleep tonight, wondering if this is the night that our SWAT team blows off your front door hinges,” said he. “We’re coming for you. Run.”
In 2017, his office was able to seize 200 pounds marijuana during an aircraft raid, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Grinnell stated that “this is a wonderful example of inter-agency collaboration and we could not be prouder of the hard work put into this operation.”
Grinnell pledged, during his 2017 campaign to become county sheriff for the first time, to bring back D.A.R.E. – a youth anti-drug prevention program that was started in the Reagan years. He said, however, that he wished the program would go beyond “Just Say No”, and provide a comprehensive service.
“The D.A.R.E. stated that the D.A.R.E. It’s more about life skills, conflict resolution, and making good choices.
Pastor Dean Inserra
Dean Inserra is the lead pastor of the Southern Baptist CITYCHURCH. He has advocated in the past for leaders in his faith circles to embrace a moderate approach, which doesn’t alienate anyone for doing something not explicitly prohibited in the Bible.
He is against underage drinking and drunkenness, but in 2014 he told Southern Baptists “to take a deep breath and stop making alcohol an issue.” He said they “lose their credibility when we make culture issues absolutes.”
He has made jokes about cannabis on Twitter, but it’s unclear what his position is on the drug.
He joked in 2016 with a radio presenter about his “way with pot”. The host responded, “I mean pots… Pots”, to which I replied, “vote no on two”, referring to the medical cannabis legalization measure that was on that state’s ballot.
Vote No on Two
Greg Tish, WVFT Real Talk (93.3) (@Greg_Tish), October 22, 2016.
He said in 2015 that he smelt like marijuana after driving past a Phish show, which is widely associated with cannabis cultures.
We smelled like weed because we sat in the car with the windows down and drove past the Phish concert on our way back from the evening session. WOW.
Dean Inserra August 5, 2015.
In the same year, he suggested that NFL locker rooms feature signs that read “Want To Play in the NFL?” Don’t smoke weed.”
Every locker room needs to have a sign…
Want to play in NFL? Don’t smoke weed.”Dean Inserra 10 January 2015
Melanie Brown-Woofter
Brown-Woofter is the leader of the Florida Council for Community Mental Health. She has a limited record in marijuana-specific issues. Her work is largely focused on opioids.
She did, however, write in a blog post as a guest last year that “drug sellers are lacing heroin, cocaine and even marijuana because it’s cheap to make and easily hidden,” despite the questionable data about fentanyl added to cannabis.
She said , “This deadly combination causes people to gamble with their lives too often and results in devastating families and communities.” “Gov. “Gov.
She also appeared as a presenter in a 2021 event for a panel entitled: “Cannabis Is Here: Getting Into the Weeds of Legislative Mandates and Coverage Issues”. It is not known what the discussion was about.
Rabbi Meir Kessler
Mier Kessler is a rabbi who also serves in the role of director at the Jewish Recovery Center. His record on drug policies goes beyond his support for efforts to treat addictions within his own community.
In 2020, he discussed the center’s efforts to integrate detoxification, treatment, community, and spirituality in a Podcast Interview.
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DeSantis said recently that he wouldn’t move to decriminalize cannabis on a federal level if he were elected president. His record is mixed.
DeSantis, earlier this month, signed legislation that prohibits the sale of any consumable products — including cannabis “chewing-gum”– to people under 21. This is an extension of an existing ban on young people having access to smokable marijuana.
This month, the governor signed a separate measure prohibiting sober living homes from allowing their residents to possess or to use medical marijuana. Even if a patient has been certified by a physician to use cannabis therapeutically according to state law. All other pharmaceuticals prescribed by doctors may still be allowed.
A bill signed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott granted medical marijuana licenses to two Black farmers. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a bill into law in the last month.
The outcome of a state Supreme Court case could determine whether the governor has a say on legalization in Florida. The state certified recently that a petition collected enough valid signatures for the issue to be on the ballot next year. Florida Attorney-General Ashley Moody is challenging the measure and is urging the court to invalidate the measure as she has done with other reform initiatives.
Economic analysts in the Florida legislature and DeSantis’s office estimate the marijuana legalization measure would produce between $195.6 and $431.3 millions of new sales tax revenue each year if it is passed by voters. These figures could rise if legislators impose a similar excise tax to those in other legalized states on cannabis transactions.
Schumer says work continues on Marijuana Banking bill as key senators dispute the reason for delay
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