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DeSantis sets a course apart from Scott

An editorial in the Sun Sentinel in June castigated then Gov. Rick Scott for efforts to stop medical marijuana patients from smoking their medicine.

The Legislature had passed a law banning the practice, but a judge in Leon County struck it down, saying it violated patients’ constitutional rights. Then-Gov. Scott said he would appeal the ruling even though 72 percent of the state population voted for the amendment that legalized medical marijuana, undoubtedly knowing smoking is the traditional way  marijuana is consumed.

On Thursday, though, DeSantis said he would ask the Legislature to change its stance. If it didn’t, he said he would drop the state’s appeal of the Leon County judge’s ruling.

“Whether they (patients) have to smoke it or not, who am I to judge that? I want people to be able to have their suffering relieved. I don’t think this law is up to snuff,” DeSantis said.

It has been an interesting transition between governors. While DeSantis has stuck to his conservative bonafides in judicial appointments and will probably mirror many of Scott’s values, there have been some stark differences.

One flashpoint has to do with the South Florida Water Management District. It appears that Scott’s efforts to make last minute appointments to its board didn’t sit well with DeSantis. He asked the entire board to resign and some have already complied.

Media accounts indicate DeSantis wasn’t happy that the district signed a lease for sugar growers to continue using district land amid a push to clean up the Everglades.

Scott had barely squeaked by in the race for U.S. Senate with incumbent Bill Nelson with algae pollution being one of the key issues. Scott has been widely portrayed as not caring enough about the environment.

With his moves in medical marijuana and the water district, it appears DeSantis is putting his stamp on the governorship right away. Presumably, Scott and DeSantis will be working together in the state’s best interests. However, political pundits are also starting to perceive them as rivals for the U.S. presidency in the future. A return bid by Marco Rubio is also conceivable.

Hopefully, all three will continue to work for the best interests of Florida residents and businesses, but it will be interesting to see how events unfold. So far, it appears DeSantis appears to be making some moves that will be welcomed by many Floridians across the poltiical spectrum.

 

 

 

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Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.