4:13 PM PT -- Looks like a parody account passing as State Senator Amanda Chase is responsible for the bizarre marijuana tweet, because the real McCoy's calling it a fake.
An unverified account with the handle @AmandaChaseVA -- which appears to be authentic, as it was set up in 2016 -- writes, "You know you’re the front runner for Governor when your opponent starts trying to duplicate your social media accounts. Make sure you’re following the @AmandaChaseVA not the counterfeit account @SenAmandaChase."
She adds her team has reported the duplicate account, which is being investigated.
A Virginia state senator is making a big stink about the perils of marijuana as her state's legalizing it ... but she's getting laughed out of the digital building over it.
State Senator Amanda Chase tweeted Friday that mortality rates and overdoses in Virginia were sky-high ... apparently all due to marijuana. She didn't cite a source for that info, but went on to plug her gubernatorial run in a stand against legalization.
Del. McGuire is right. We have a drug problem in Virginia, and legalizing marijuana will only lead to more marijuana overdoses and deaths. Democrats want more marijuana deaths. As your governor I would never allow marijuana to be legalized. https://t.co/r7Xpii4eSY
— Senator Amanda Chase (@SenAmandaChase) February 5, 2021
She writes, "We have a drug problem in Virginia, and legalizing marijuana will only lead to more marijuana overdoses and deaths. Democrats want more marijuana deaths. As your governor I would never allow marijuana to be legalized."
Her lofty claims about weed came the same day the Virginia legislature passed a bill to legalize ganja for use and sale starting in 2023. It's heading to incumbent Governor Ralph Northam's desk next week, and he's already indicated he'll sign it into law.
Virginia’s General Assembly voted Friday to legalize marijuana in the state, with a plan in place to open dispensaries beginning in 2024 https://t.co/XKiqmmv5iO
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) February 6, 2021
Again, we don't know where State Senator Chase is getting her alleged overdose stats -- but a lot of folks online aren't buying what she's selling. The jokes started flying at her expense, with folks saying they overdosed on weed ... and were forced to eat as a result.
One guy wrote, "I once overdosed on the marijuana and it took 6 cupcakes and a bag of pistachio nuts to bring me back from the brink. I still get munchies. #survivor."
I once overdosed on the marijuana and it took 6 cupcakes and a bag of pistachio nuts to bring me back from the brink. I still get munchies. #survivor https://t.co/d2eKaNZgS9
— Brian Glaum (@BcwasBrian) February 6, 2021
Tons of others were on the same tip. Here's the thing though ... weed can apparently kill a person. We looked into it, and according to studies by the National Institutes of Health's NCBI -- which tracks this type of stuff in the U.S. -- marijuana has been linked to deaths ... although the numbers are hazy.
Scientists say ingesting too much -- as in edibles -- in one sitting can cause overdoses/death, especially in kids. Other deaths are related to the effects of marijuana ... for instance, car crashes or work accidents.
But, again, these instances are rare, and those stats wouldn't be relevant to the alleged marijuana scourge happening in Virginia ... according to Chase, anyway.
Originally Published -- 2:29 PM PT