In her recent opinion piece, Donna Shalala highlights significant concerns regarding Florida’s marijuana Amendment 3, drawing a parallel to the detrimental practices of Big Tobacco. Shalala cautions against the marijuana industry’s aggressive marketing tactics, which appear to target young people similarly to how tobacco companies once did. She underscores the alarming rise in THC potency, now reaching as high as 99%, presenting serious mental health risks to young individuals, including conditions such as psychosis and depression. Furthermore, Shalala criticises the amendment for its absence of essential public health protections, warning that it could lead to further monopolisation by existing medical marijuana companies. She argues that instead of fully legalising marijuana, Florida should focus on decriminalising low-level possession to avoid promoting a profit-driven addiction industry.

Source: Miami Herald