We need to educate people about the risks of this substance.”
By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
On Tuesday, a leading Florida critic who opposes daily marijuana consumption called on a Florida legislative committee to provide more funding to elementary schools in order to raise awareness about the dangers of young marijuana usage and its impact on brain development.
Jessica Spencer, a former campaigner for Amendment 3 who spoke before the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, urged against Florida ever allowing adults to use cannabis.
Spencer opened her presentation with a comment that, measured by THC level, the potency in 2025 of marijuana is higher than in 1960s and 1970s. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main ingredient in marijuana that produces the psychoactive “high” when consumed.
She presented a presentation of slides from the University of Mississippi, which worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration to demonstrate that the average THC content of flower products in 1975 was less than 1 percent. This has increased to 16.14 percent on average in 2022.
Spencer stressed that she was not focusing on casual cannabis users, but on those who used it every day or nearly daily. This included young people.
“The main concern for me is adolescents…but that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned about adults and the daily use of these high-potency products,” she said, adding that children have a higher chance of addiction because their brains are still growing.
Spencer talked about the documented relationship between cannabis usage and mental illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, a JAMA study cited on their website shows that cannabis users are at greater risk of developing psychosis or long-term mental disorders like schizophrenia. This association is stronger for those who begin using the drug earlier and use it more often.
Spencer, a member of the Senate Health Committee told legislators: “We must educate individuals about this specific substance’s dangers.”
‘We don’t want full legalization’
Spencer has made several appearances, both in person and through the media, in order to oppose the idea of marijuana being legalized in Florida. On Tuesday she took advantage of her opportunity to reiterate that this should never be the case.
This is because the group responsible for the amendment to the Constitution has begun a new effort to get the issue on a ballot in all of Texas in 2026.
We don’t want to see full legalization. “We know what will happen in other states if we legalize fully,” said she.
The majority of Florida voters (56%), who approved of legalizing cannabis for adult use last year but fell short of the required 60%, did not pass the legislation.
Spencer warned the committee that hemp products, such as Delta 8, are being sold in smoke shops and gas stations. He urged lawmakers to outlaw them. The Legislature passed a bill in 2013 that banned Delta 8 and set limits for the THC levels of hemp products, but Governor DeSantis vetoed it. Ron DeSantis has vetoed the bill).
She said that’s why the state needs to use as much as 25 percent of available state drug demand reduction funds—including from the opioid abatement funds—for primary prevention strategies.
Democratic backlash
When she talked about the link between cannabis and violence in young males, she received some resistance from Democrats.
One of those named in the slide who were found to have marijuana in their bloodstream was Rudy Eugene. The Miami man, shot and killed by police officers in 2012, after he gnawed off the face of a person on the street, as well Nikolas C. Cruz, gunman for Parkland shooting in 2018.
What we really need to focus on, is finding people with mental issues. We should make sure that they are not allowed near any marijuana. asked South Florida Democrat Jason Pizzo.
Spencer said, “That is an interesting approach.”
Spencer supports the efforts of decriminalizing simple possession.
She said: “Please don’t ruin peoples’ lives because of that.” Calling for law enforcement to be able to use civil citation and diversion programs for those arrested for possessing (which is already used in Florida in several counties for lower-level arrests for possession).
Spencer’s request was not taken up immediately by the Committee, but before next month’s Legislative session starts there’s still time for legislation based upon her testimony to be introduced.
Florida Phoenix was the first to publish this story.
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Philip Steffan provided the photo.