ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Election night is less than a month away and some Avalon Park residents are not happy with signs supporting Amendment 2 for medical marijuana in their neighborhood.
Signs have started to disappear and it’s sparked a debate in the community.
Bradley Markovitz, one of the owners of Avalon Liquors, now has to display his sign supporting Amendment 2 in the store’s window after his original sign was stolen.
“We looked all around. We all thought we misplaced it then we went in the dumpster and opened it up and we see our sign there,” Markovitz said.
The incident ignited a feud that carried over to a Facebook page for the community.
An Avalon Park resident posted in the page, saying he didn’t want to see the signs supporting medical marijuana, and that it gives children in the neighborhood the wrong idea.
Hundreds of comments were made by residents, both for and against the issue.
Markovitz believes the debate is likely one other communities, especially those with lots of children, are probably having too.
“I’m certain of it. It’s a real controversial issue,” he said.
Resident Anne Frey supports Amendment 2 and thinks it’s unfortunate someone removed the sign.
“It bothered me that someone would do that because there are a lot of people who I feel could benefit from the legalization of medical marijuana,” Frey said.
Her two sons have epilepsy and she would like to have the option to treat them with medicinal marijuana.
“Right now, they don’t need medical marijuana. That doesn’t mean that’s always going to be the case,” she said.
Stealing political signs can be up to a $1,000 fine and can carry jail time.