The Sunshine State

Serious question: how did Florida get to be the way it is? How did it happen that 80% of the crazy stories about people doing insane things while high or intoxicated all come out of one single state?

And is it just coincidence that all of these crazy stories come from the state where everything seems to be trying to kill you, from the massive and regular hurricanes to the alligators that people regularly find just hanging out in their backyards? Or do the people of Florida turn to alcohol to cope with the stress of living in a place where at any minute, you could be eaten in your own swimming pool?