Pubdate: Sat, 25 Jan 2014
Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)
Page: A1
Copyright: 2014 The Palm Beach Post
Contact:  http://www.palmbeachpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333
Author: George Bennett

MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLOSER TO FALL VOTE

Necessary Signatures Submitted but Court Still Must OK
Wording.

An effort to legalize medical marijuana in Florida has garnered enough
petition signatures to go before voters in November - leaving it up to
the state Supreme Court to decide whether the wording of the question
is legal.

The marijuana measure, a potential wild card affecting turnout for the
governor's race and other midterm elections this year, exceeded the
state's requirement of 683,149 voter signatures needed to put a
question on the ballot, the Florida Division of Elections confirmed
Friday.

The Florida Supreme Court has not yet ruled on Attorney General Pam
Bondi's challenge to the 75-word ballot summary for the referendum.
Bondi contends the wording misleads voters by understating the
"breathtaking scope" of marijuana use that would be allowed if the
question passes. If the referendum makes it onto the ballot, it would
need 60 percent approval from voters to be added to the state
constitution.

Polls have shown strong support for legalizing medicinal
marijuana.

A survey this week by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling showed
65 percent of Florida voters approving and 23 percent disapproving. A
Quinnipiac University poll in November found 82 percent of voters in
favor and 16 percent opposed.

The main financial backer of the marijuana campaign is Orlando trial
attorney John Morgan, whose employees include Democratic gubernatorial
front-runner Charlie Crist. "It's no coincidence that John Morgan is
pushing this. This is a plan. I think it's problematic for
Republicans," said Republican pollster Alex Patton.

Because non-presidential elections usually draw low turnout, Patton
said, the medical marijuana question has the potential to draw
Democratic-leaning voters to the polls who might otherwise skip the
election.

Patton also said the question could drive a wedge between social
conservatives and libertarians in the GOP, hindering Gov. Rick Scott's
re-election efforts.

"It's one more hurdle that we've got to overcome and lord knows the
Republicans need to unite. ... To win a gubernatorial campaign in
Florida, we need everyone rowing in the same direction," Patton said.

If the marijuana question gets on the ballot, Democratic pollster
David Beattie said, its biggest impact would be "to draw some lines
between candidates in races."

Beattie added: "I don't think it will have a huge impact on turnout.
. It could be something that someone uses to drive turnout, but I
don't think it does on its own."

Crist in a December radio interview called the marijuana question "an
issue of compassion" and said "I'm not opposed to it."

Scott voiced cautiously worded opposition on Friday. "I have a great
deal of empathy for people battling difficult diseases and I
understand arguments in favor of this initiative," Scott said in a
statement released by the governor's office. "But, having seen the
terrible affects of alcohol and drug abuse first-hand, I cannot
endorse sending Florida down this path and I would personally vote
against it. No matter my personal beliefs, however, a ballot
initiative would be up to the voters to decide."

If the question goes on the ballot, the wording that voters would see
says medical marijuana would be allowed "for individuals with
debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida physician."

The actual language for the proposed constitutional amendment would
allow a physician to prescribe marijuana for nine specific
debilitating conditions as well as "other conditions for which a
physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely
outweigh the potential health risks for a patient."

Bondi and other critics have argued the "other conditions" language
makes the amendment more broad than the wording voters would see on
the ballot description.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D