Pubdate: Thu, 06 Nov 2014
Source: Bradenton Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2014 Bradenton Herald
Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/submit-letter/
Website: http://www.bradenton.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58

FLORIDA'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA ISSUE NOT SNUFFED OUT YET

Opponents of the language in Amendment 2 won a somewhat surprising 
victory by convincing enough voters that the medical marijuana 
measure contained lax provisions open to abuse. Early polls showed 
convincing passage at around 70 percent, far more than the 60 percent 
required to amend Florida's constitution.

But with only 57 percent of the vote, the measure failed. Still, that 
should send a signal to the Legislature and governor that the 
majority of voters do indeed want the legalization of medicinal 
cannabis -- but with tighter restrictions that remove loopholes.

The issue will not disappear. Orlando attorney John Morgan, who spent 
$6.5 million to get Amendment 2 on the ballot and win passage, vows 
to keep the issue alive -- first by calling on legislators to pass a 
medical marijuana measure in 2015.

If lawmakers fail to heed the will of the majority, amendment 
proponents pledge to launch another ballot initiative in 2016. If 
that occurs, the measure should be free of language open to 
permissive interpretations.

Oddly enough, medical marijuana is more popular than Gov. Rick Scott, 
with Amendment 2 winning 3,357,537 votes and the governor securing 2,859,199.

Our hopes of either the conservative Legislature or governor 
listening to this message are not high, however. We expect another 
citizen initiative in two years.

Amendment 1: Kudos to voters for taking control of state spending for 
conservation projects out of the hands of legislators who for years 
robbed the trust fund established for this purpose. Instead of the 
meager appropriations under the Legislature, Amendment 1 guarantees 
annual funding from the documentary stamp tax expected to amount to 
$700 million annually for two decades. The restoration, preservation 
and purchase of conservation and recreational lands will ensure a 
brighter future for Florida.

Amendment 3: Thank goodness voters didn't fall for this political 
trap set by the Legislature. This would have allowed an outgoing 
governor to appoint Supreme Court justices and some other judicial 
vacancies instead of the incoming chief executive as is now the case. 
These last-minute appointments would have destroyed accountability to voters.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom