A Fourth of July float in Temple Terrace caused quite a stir during the city's annual Independence Day parade.

"I was really speechless when I first saw a giant reefer next to the float we were going to be participating in," said Temple Terrace resident Ellen Snelling.

Snelling is also the head of Hillsborough County's Anti-Drug Alliance. She did a double take when she saw a marijuana joint replica on a float for Central Florida NORML, an organization pushing to legalize medical marijuana.

"I was really concerned at all the children that participate in the parade. They're there waiting for candy and beads. Then to see a giant reefer that blew out smoke every so often. What do they think? What are their parents going to say to them?" Snelling said.

Christopher Cano, a member of NORML, says the float did its job.

"If that requires you to have a conversation that makes you uncomfortable with your kids, so be it. I don’t see a difference between our float and Anheuser Busch pulling Budweiser horses," said Cano.

 Lee Bell, President and CEO of the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce says it boils down to free speech.

"We don't censor speech or the organizations in the parade. We stress they follow the rules and regulations put in place by the police and fire departments regarding safety," Bell said.

Snelling is calling for the chamber to have rules for future parades about displays of illegal substances.

"If there are no rules, that could open us up to other things that could be in the parade. Anywhere from adult bookstores to the Ku Klux Klan," Snelling said.

Cano realizes his groups' message can be unpopular in certain circles. But he says there's no better place to voice his opinion than on Independence Day.

"What better way to celebrate free speech we have in America?" Cano said.

Central Florida NORML hopes to have more floats in parades throughout the year as medical marijuana hits the ballot again in 2016.