Pubdate: Fri, 26 Sep 2014
Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL)
Copyright: 2014 Orlando Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325
Note: Rarely prints out-of-state LTEs.
Author: Madelyn Butler
Note: Guest columnist Madelyn Butler is past president of the Florida 
Medical Association and founder of The Woman's Group in Tampa.
Note: Opposing OPED in same issue.
Amendment 2: Good for Florida?

NO. DRESSING UP MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE DOESN'T CUT IT

Real prescriptions tell us how many precisely dosed pills to take ... 
Do we expect budtenders to tell us how many puffs ... [are] optimal?

The relationship between a doctor and a patient is a sacred trust and 
a legal bond. One of the most common treatments that doctors provide 
to patients is to prescribe medications. When writing a prescription, 
the doctor stipulates a specific medication, precise doses, how often 
and when it is taken, and for how long. Your doctor and pharmacist 
review every medication you are taking to protect you from adverse 
drug interactions. The entire process of testing, approving, 
manufacturing, prescribing and selling prescription medications is 
carefully regulated.

Amendment 2 is a trick. It's written to make you think pot will 
require a prescription, like FDA-approved medications, but it won't.

The truth is that Amendment 2 requires nothing resembling a real 
prescription - just a "recommendation" from a "licensed physician." 
And that physician can recommend it for virtually any discomfort. 
Amendment 2 lawyers admit it could even be recommended for "trouble 
sleeping." And you wouldn't be getting marijuana through a reputable 
doctor's office. Like other states with these sham laws, people who 
want to smoke pot will visit a "pot doc" - someone of the same 
ethical ilk as the "pill-mill docs" that we've worked so hard to 
drive out of Florida.

And you won't find "medical marijuana" at your local pharmacy. Under 
Amendment 2, pot would be sold at euphemistically called "marijuana 
treatment centers." You won't find a trained pharmacist in a white 
coat. Instead, you will buy your "medicine" with cash from a dude 
called a "budtender." Your budtender will let you choose between 
various strains of pot with names like Mango Kush, Blueberry Yum Yum 
and Death Star. You can also get pot from Amendment 2 "caregivers" - 
de facto dealers who, under Amendment 2, don't need any expertise, 
training, license or background check. That's because Amendment 2 
isn't what it seems, so what looks like a safeguard is really a loophole.

Real prescriptions tell us how many precisely dosed pills to take 
each day. Do we expect budtenders to tell us how many puffs of which 
hip-named strain of pot will provide the optimal medical outcome? 
Amendment 2 is cleverly written to make pot-smoking sound like 
medicine. Unfortunately, nothing resulting from its passage would 
resemble medicine.

But it gets worse. Today, doctors and pharmacies can be sued and held 
liable for malpractice if they make a mistake that harms you. They 
can be arrested if their negligence rises to a criminal level. But 
Amendment 2 provides complete immunity to pot docs, pot shops, 
caregivers, budtenders and everyone else in the "medical" marijuana 
supply chain. They can't be arrested or sued if something they do 
harms or kills someone. In fact, since users of "medical" pot are 
also given immunity, they can't be arrested or sued if their actions 
while under the influence of pot harms or kills another person.

John Morgan, the trial lawyer bankrolling Amendment 2, runs ads for 
his law firm "seeking justice," "for the people," as he says - but 
under his amendment, marijuana would become the only drug for which 
those who recommend, sell or use it couldn't be sued or arrested if 
something goes terribly wrong. This blanket immunity seems like the 
broadest possible invitation for the marijuana industry to base 
itself in Florida, replacing oranges as our best-known crop.

Recently, seven former Florida Supreme court justices came together 
to oppose Amendment 2. They said, "[A]nyone who reads the full text 
of Amendment 2 should readily agree that it is plagued by loopholes 
and vagueness that would lead to a myriad of unintended and 
undesirable consequences."

Florida's medical community agrees with these justices. That's why 
the Florida Medical Association voted unanimously to oppose Amendment 2.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom