Commissioner questions DeSantis’ use of opioid settlement to combat Amendment 3 • Florida Phoenix

During a meeting of the state board that oversees trust funds for opioid schemes, a board member referred to published accounts the DeSantis administration is using settlement money to fund ads urging voters to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older.

Several news agencies reported last week that the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has allocated nearly $4 million from Florida’s opioid fund to Strategic digital servicesa marketing agency in Tallahassee, for one educational campaign on the “Dangers of Marijuana, Opioid, and Drug Use,” specifically targeting Florida families and youth.

During a virtual meeting of the Statewide Council on Opioid Abatement on Wednesday, Republican Seminole County Commissioner Lee Constantine, a member of the council, referred to what he said was “the elephant in the room” — the news reports that Gov. Ron DeSantis has raided the fund to help pay for television commercials to combat Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that has sent the governor on a crusade over the past week to try to keep support for the proposal below 60%, the threshold needed to become Florida law.

“I am concerned about some of the reporting that has been made recently and allegations in some newspapers and press about the unintended use of these dollars… to educate people about Amendment 3 and to oppose Amendment 3 in the current election” , Constantine said. said. “I do not believe this was the intended use, nor do I believe it directly contributes to reducing our opioid crisis. I’m not suggesting it happens, I don’t know. “

Constantine called the issue “the elephant in the room,” adding, “To me, this is not one of the expenses that should be happening, or one of the uses of the funds we have from the opioid from the Pharma settlement .’

DeSantis defenseman

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, chairman of the board, responded that he had seen some of those media reports. But: “I had not seen any of those conversations, suggestions and recommendations coming here to our council. I have not been consulted in any of these matters.”

He then defended DeSantis and other state leaders for being committed to alleviating Florida’s opioid crisis.

“I think all of us as board members know that we are working with a group of people who are incredibly passionate about saving lives,” he said. “The Governor, the First Lady, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Attorney General absolutely want to move in a direction where we can ensure that we are providing resources that are intended to prevent the overprescribing of people those who do. primarily responsible for the settlement matters.”

Lemma went on to say that the Opioid Board must “continue to move forward” regardless of whether Amendment 3 passes next week, adding, “There is no effort and action for this board to be politically motivated in any form. ”