State Sen. Darryl Rouson, the longest-serving Democrat in the Florida Legislature, supported legalizing medical marijuana but “I’m not there yet when it comes to full legalization of marijuana.”
Rouson, who appeared Tuesday (4/9) on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet and Tom, said he wants to play a leadership role in shaping implementing legislation if Florida voters approve a constitutional amendment in November legalizing recreational marijuana. The Florida Supreme Court last week authorized the amendment to go on the general election ballot.
He said he thinks “the train has the left the station. Indubitably it’s going to be legalized in this state. I think the voters want that.”
If that happens, Rouson wants to help write the implementing legislation. “I’m going to be right thick in the middle of it helping to drive the solutions, helping to drive the guardrails on it,” he said.
Rouson said he once proposed legislation to impose a 25 percent tax on drug paraphernalia like bongs but couldn’t even get a committee hearing. Now, he says, he think his legislative colleagues would be open to such a tax on recreational marijuana, and he would want to funnel the revenue to fund drug treatment programs and drug education.
He said he worries about “the pervasiveness of it” if recreational weed is legalized, particularly if young people get ahold of it. “This is not your mother and father’s marijuana,” he said. “This is new stuff…it’s stronger I worry about the psychosis teens may suffer thinking that it’s not harmful.”
Rouson said his own journey from addict to successful lawmaker informs his views on drugs. He said he spent nine years trying to overcome his addiction to cocaine, alcohol and marijuana. “Each of us brings our lived experiences to whatever job we’re doing,” he said. “My lived experience is I became an addict.” That experience also drives him to support more funding for mental health and drug treatment programs because they work. He is now 26 years and one week sober.
Rouson also discussed how he has navigated the Republican-controlled as a Democrat for 16 years, the importance of increased arts funding, and his focus on issues where he can find bipartisan solutions.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
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