Editor, The Beacon:

Gov. Ron DeSantis and his “nattering nabobs of negativism” (S. Agnew) want to argue that legalizing recreational marijuana in our state would change Florida’s “smell,” lead to addiction of other more potent drugs, and increase auto accidents and crime. These are lies and exaggerations.

Generations of folks who experienced the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s and beyond know they are wrong. Just check out the 1936 movie Reefer Madness, which made the same claims and has become a comic parody of those ideas. Likewise, the personal stories of individual tragedies and vehicular accidents are the lurid gibberish of opponents who unknowingly live next to and among marijuana users for decades.

However, if there was an award for the most ridiculous anti-weed argument, it would go to DeSantis for saying the smell of weed would make the state less attractive and ward off visitors, business and new residents.

Currently, Florida averages about 1,000 new residents each day. It appears DeSantis cannot grasp the fact that other states have long ago legalized weed without these “problems,” and he cannot cite a single example of any place that has succumbed to the perils of weed smell.

Come on, Ron, don’t mislead and don’t be misled. As Little Feat sang, “Don’t bogart that joint, pass it over to me” (1978).

Bob Brooks
DeLand