Opinion
By Judge John Marshall Meisburg, Jr.
09-02-24
The Christians of Florida must VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 3! Proposed Florida Constitutional Amendment #3 would legalize recreational marijuana in Florida! Marijuana is still a dangerous drug, and its legalization would cause great and permanent harm to the state of Florida and her people.
There are at least eight reasons to VOTE NO ON 3. Here they are:
First, Medical marijuana is already legal in Florida by statute. This Amendment would put that in the Florida Constitution, which is not needed. Actually, this Amendment legalizes BOTH medical and recreational marijuana. As such, it is a “trojan horse” to legalize recreational marijuana, which must be defeated.
Second, Marijuana is still a Class 1 drug under the Federal criminal code and has been so for over 50 years and for good reason. The Controlled Substances act of 1970 categorized marijuana as a Schedule One Substance meaning it had no acceptable medical use and was among the class of drugs having the highest potential for misuse, thereby prohibiting its use for any purpose. This May, the Justice Department announced plans to reschedule marijuana as a Schedule III drug, but recreational use would still be illegal under Federal law. I believe that it takes an Act of Congress to do that. In any event, Federal law always trumps state law under the Supremacy clause. The proposed Florida Amendment actually makes reference to Federal law and states that marijuana possession in Florida would still be illegal under Federal law. How in the world can we make legal in Florida what is illegal under Federal law? I do not believe that is Constitutional.
Third, recent medical studies reveal that marijuana is indeed a dangerous drug with many ill effects. Marijuana comes from the Cannabis plant that contains a mind altering chemical called THC. Some people say its natural, how bad can it be? But there are many natural substances that are deadly; arsenic is one example.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse tells us that marijuana has both long and short term ill effects on the brain. The short term effects of marijuana and THC include altered senses, altered sense of time, changes in mood, impaired body movements, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and impaired memory. The long term effects are even worse: hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, psychosis and worsening of schizophrenia as well as impaired brain development. Thinking, memory and learning functions are hurt. IQ can actually be lowered on a permanent basis, especially when it used by teenagers. General knowledge and verbal ability can both be lowered.
Other harmful effects of marijuana include breathing problems, cough and lung infections, increased heart rate and risk of heart attack. Marijuana causes problems with child development during and after pregnancy, including lower birth rates, and the risk of brain and behavior problems in babies, and problems with attention, memory and problem solving. Regular, long term use of marijuana can cause regular cycles of severe nausea, vomiting and dehydration. Vaping marijuana has actually caused hundreds of reports of serious lung illnesses including several deaths.
A new study by the National Institute of Health in 2024 found that frequent marijuana use may significantly increase a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke. The study found that the daily use of marijuana created a 25% increased likelihood of heart attack and a 42% increased likelihood of stroke. This is because toxins are released when cannabis is burned, similar to the toxins found in tobacco smoke.
Use of marijuana has been linked to relationship problems, less academic and career success, job absences, accidents and injuries. Marijuana has also been shown to be a “gateway drug” to other more dangerous drugs . And, between 9 and 30% of marijuana users develop an addiction to the drug, called “Marijuana use disorder.” The amount of THC in THC has also been rising over the past few decades and this has caused more harmful effects, many ER visits, and more addiction.
Fourth, there is “buyers remorse” in the states that have legalized pot, especially in regard to auto accidents and DUI arrests. Some 23 states have now legalized marijuana in some form and some are already regretting that decision. Many auto accidents are now happening in Colorado because people are driving under the influence of marijuana. In the 5 years after legalization, fatal crashes increased more in Colorado and Washington that would be expected. There has been a 6% increase in Colorado car accidents since legalization in 2013, and 68 fatal car accidents in 2015 where the driver tested positive for marijuana. A 6% increase is also significant as it means thousands more accidents. In 2018, nearly 5% of the population of the country said they had driven under the influence of cannabis during the past year. That number has probably greatly increased over the past 6 years due to legalization in several states. It is causing a real danger on our roads. The proposed Amendment in Florida would legalize 3 ounces of marijuana which is equal to 100 joints, creating the perfect storm for bad outcomes.
Fifth, making recreational pot legal in Florida would make Florida the California of the east, and would make us the most liberal state in the nation on marijuana. Marijuana stores and the smell of marijuana smoke would be everywhere. The proposed Amendment has no restrictions on the “time, place or manner” of the drug use or sales. Triple the sales, triple the stores. Triple the amount of pot available. You would be able to use marijuana everywhere in the state including beaches. This will have a profound impact on the life of every citizen in Florida, especially those who want to avoid this drug. And, young people would have easy access to marijuana, which will be devastating for many. The health and safety of all Floridians would be at risk.
Sixth, the black market for marijuana would explode. The cost of legal marijuana would increase greatly due to regulations, testing, and taxing, causing consumers to seek cheaper, illegal alternatives, as in every state that ha legalized pot. And black market marijuana will be very dangerous due to the increased amount of THC and other toxins.
Seventh, TV ads supporting the Amendment say that millions of dollars will be raised for the state and education due to legal marijuana sales. This too is a hoax. There is no provision in this Amendment for how such sales tax money would be allocated. And, the harmful effects of marijuana on health and safety would probably offset any gains from sales taxes. Even if true, this would not be Biblical. God warns us in Scripture against receiving money from evil sources, like gambling. It is like the “fruit of the poisonous tree.” See: Deuteronomy 23:18 and Luke 16:9 (“unrighteous mammon.”) We do not want to use drug money to educate our children.
Eighth, some people say that marijuana is no worse than alcohol so why not make it legal. But “two wrong do not make a right.” And, there are many health dangers associated with marijuana , both mental and physical, that are not associated with alcohol, as set forth above. And why would we want to add another addictive and dangerous substance to our culture? Why should we double the pain?
We do NOT need to legalize marijuana in Florida! We do not need thousands more auto accidents. We do not need thousands of ER visits. We do not need the people of Florida strung out on THC, staying home from work, and not being productive citizens. We do not need ruined marriages. We do not need more crime. We do not need to spend millions of dollars on health care for those who use and abuse it. We do not need the smell of marijuana pervasive in our life and culture. And, from a Christian viewpoint, we do not need to legalize or encourage a drug that will damage our physical and mental health, and ruin the lives of our young people. As the Scriptures say: We are not to be drunk, but filled with the Holy Spirit, and our body is the very temple of the Holy Spirit! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 5:18. VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 3!!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR- JUDGE JOHN MARSHALL MEISBURG JR.
Judge John Marshall Meisburg, Jr., was a U.S. Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration for 26 years in Jacksonville, Florida. He retired as a judge in 2021 and is now living in Fernandina Beach, Florida with his wife of 43 years, Dr. Denise Meisburg. They have six children and 11 grandchildren. Prior to being a judge, he was a lawyer with the Federal government for 23 years, serving in all three branches of the government, with the U.S. District Court, EEOC, Justice Department, Congress, FDIC and Office of Special Counsel (MSPB). He was in private law practice one year in Washington, D.C. and filed the lawsuit that became the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case on sexual harassment. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He is a lifelong Christian, being raised in the Baptist faith in Louisville, Kentucky. He was an Elder at New Life Christian Fellowship in Jacksonville where he taught Sunday School, the Jewish Roots of the Faith and the Christian Heritage of America. He was a leader of both the National Day of Prayer and the House of Prayer in Jacksonville for over ten years. He has published ten books relating to Christian and legal issues. He is now a member of Living Waters World Outreach Center in Fernandina Beach, where he serves in the prayer and home group ministry, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Faith Christian Academy.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida
