Removing marijuana's federal schedule 1 status is a campaign issue in the 16th Congressional District race. SARASOTA -- Candidates for the District 16 congressional race are staking out divergent positions on the question of whether marijuana should be removed from Schedule 1 status to afford military veterans another potentially potent option for dealing with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries, something explored recently by the Herald-Tribune and supported by a growing field of veterans and national veterans organizations in the face of an epidemic of military suicides. [continues 893 words]
SARASOTA -- Several panelists made their cases in a Thursday forum for why marijuana should no longer be classified by the federal government as a Schedule 1 drug as dangerous as heroin. The program focused on the Herald-Tribune project "Warriors Rise Up," which found a gaping rift between what many combat veterans want to treat their post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries and what they can legally get. Rather than a cocktail of painkillers, many veterans prefer the relief they receive from marijuana. Because of marijuana's Schedule 1 designation under federal law, however, the VA has not considered it an option -- even in states that have legalized the drug for medical use. [continues 450 words]
SARASOTA -- The perky melody behind Hollywood Undead's "Bullet" conflicts sharply with the despair in its refrain: "A stomach full of pills didn't work again/I'll put a bullet in my head and I'm gone, gone gone ... "In the days preceding Alan Younger's death, his widow, Amber, says she could hear it playing all the time on his earbuds. After learning last week of the Trump administration's apparent designs on keeping marijuana chained to its Schedule 1 status, the widow of a veteran she describes as "an awesome father" is now adding her voice to a growing chorus of Americans imploring Congress to take action. [continues 820 words]
SARASOTA COUNTY -- The county is moving to ban the cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana if the practice is ever legalized in Florida. The County Commission last week unanimously voted to authorize its staff to draft an amendment to current county laws to prohibit the growing, processing and sale of recreational marijuana should it ever become legal in the state. Commission Chair Nancy Detert was absent for the vote. The move comes several weeks after the commission approved the county's first two medical marijuana dispensaries. The commission on April 10 voted to allow Trulieve to open a medical marijuana dispensary in a freestanding building in the Venice Pines Shopping Plaza on Jacaranda Boulevard -- the county's first approved dispensary. A day later, the board approved a request by Sarasota-based AltMed to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 5077 Fruitville Road in the Cobia Bay shopping plaza. [continues 172 words]
SARASOTA COUNTY -- More medical marijuana is coming to the county after the Sarasota County Commission on Wednesday approved the second dispensary application in two days. The County Commission voted 4-1 to allow Sarasota-based AltMed to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 5077 Fruitville Road in the Cobia Bay shopping plaza -- making it the second approved dispensary in unincorporated county. Commissioner Mike Moran, who has concerns medical dispensaries could be the gateway to legalizing recreational marijuana in the state, cast the dissenting vote. [continues 133 words]
GAINESVILLE -- The University of Florida could start growing industrial hemp as soon as the fall. But the project still has to pass some hurdles before planting begins, said Rob Gilbert, chairman of the UF/IFAS agronomy department. The university's board of trustees approved the project Friday, and now the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration must approve importing industrial hemp seeds. Then the project needs to secure the $1.3 million it needs and the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services must approve a planting permit. [continues 458 words]
SARASOTA - When the Drug Enforcement Administration was formed in 1973, roughly 2,000 Americans were dying from overdoses each week, largely from heroin injections. In 2016 alone, thanks to a deregulated pharmaceutical industry, fatal overdoses -- 80 percent opioid related - -- claimed 63,000 lives. Or, as Peter Bensinger pointed out Thursday morning, opium-derived drugs have exacted a higher death toll in a single year than nearly two decades of fighting in the Vietnam War. Appointed by President Ford in 1976 to become the nation's second DEA director, Bensinger detailed the history of America's relationship with the poppy to a Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning crowd gathered at First United Methodist Church. As the leading cause of death for U.S. residents under 50, the toll from opioids and its synthetic counterparts today would've been unimaginable to Bensinger when he was the nation's top drug cop. [continues 204 words]
After a unanimous vote of support by the Sarasota City Commission, medical marijuana dispensaries will now be operational in the city and those with prescriptions will be able to utilize them immediately. State legislation had preempted the city's ability to regulate the dispensaries, which led to commissioners placing a temporary ban on them until a solution could be found. That solution happened last month when commissioners approved a plan to change zoning codes, paving the way for those prescribed the drug for various medical ailments to obtain it locally. [continues 342 words]
Health advocates are hopeful the 2017 numbers will show a decline. Across Florida the number of babies born to opioid-addicted mothers spiked in 2016. According to the state's Agency for Health Care Administration, 1,903 infants at Florida hospitals suffered from neonatal abstinence syndrome in 2014. That number climbed to 2,487 in 2015 and to 4,215 in 2016. At Sarasota Memorial Hospital, babies suffering from opioid addiction withdrawal numbered 67 in 2014, jumped to 110 in 2015 and peaked at 114 in 2016. [continues 329 words]
Sarasota-based medical marijuana company AltMed Florida is poised to begin growing its first crop of marijuana at a facility in Apollo Beach. The Florida Department of Health authorized Plants of Ruskin -- the nursery that is partnering with AltMed -- to begin operating the cultivation facility. "We have worked diligently to build what we believe will be the most advanced indoor cultivation facility in Florida, and one of the finest in the country," AltMed CEO John Tipton said in a press release Monday. [continues 270 words]
TALLAHASSEE -- Seemingly learning from past mistakes, state health officials have issued an emergency rule outlining the application process for new medical-marijuana vendors seeking to receive licenses in two weeks. The new rule, published Wednesday and going into effect immediately, outsources the evaluation of the applications to "subject matter experts," requires "blind testing" of the applications, and includes a detailed application form --- all departures from the Department of Health's previous medical-marijuana regulations that spawned a series of legal and administrative challenges. [continues 974 words]
SARASOTA COUNTY - The 27-year-old man was found dead on Feb. 24 inside a Walmart bathroom in East Bradenton. He had a history of heroin use. A small bag containing a white substance was recovered from the scene. A child called their uncle on Jan. 6 because their 30-year-old mother was unresponsive. When the uncle arrived, he found the woman dead with a needle in her arm. He placed the needle in a drawer so the children wouldn't see it. Crime scene technicians took the syringe as evidence. [continues 1302 words]
Florida should become 24th state to allow medical use of marijuana If proposed constitutional Amendment 2 is approved by at least 60 percent of voters, Florida would not break new ground: Twenty-three states have already approved the use of marijuana for medical reasons. Amendment 2 -- titled "Use of Marijuana for Certain Medical Conditions" -- is the most controversial proposal on the general election ballot. Yet, if the measure is approved by at least 60 percent of voters, Florida would not break new ground: Twenty-three states have already approved the use of marijuana for medical reasons. [continues 869 words]
Why are so many afraid that medical marijuana will get into the hands of those who will use it for recreational purposes? It is already in the hands of those people but without safety controls and the state collecting taxes. I am 81 years old and I don't use pot. But folks like me need to speak up for the sake of common sense and the reduction in use of Big Pharm narcotics for pain. Susan L. Ward-Steinman Venice [end]
While polls this summer indicated widespread support for medical marijuana in Florida, the latest surveys appear to show backing for Amendment 2 slipping amid a drumbeat of recent advertisements from opposition groups. Even United for Care, which has been leading a charge for medical marijuana here and once basked in polls that showed nine in 10 Floridians supported the constitutional amendment, has taken on a renewed urgency in the days leading up to the election Tuesday . "We are behind on our fundraising goal," Ben Pollara, United for Care's campaign manager, wrote last week. "I literally need to raise a couple of thousand more in the next couple of hours, or we're not going to have everything in place." [continues 1024 words]
With all the debate over Amendment 2, I would like to add a short story about my dear grandmother. She was born and raised in Canada. One of 23 siblings, she married my grandpa and moved to Sarasota in 1921. She was a staunch Catholic and, as would be expected, old-fashioned. She was also stricken with severe arthritis, her fingers twisted and had to walk with two canes because of her knees. It was not easy for her. As a teenager in the mid-1960s, while visiting with my granny, I got hungry and went rummaging through her cupboard for food when I came upon a mayonnaise jar full of what I knew to be marijuana. I took the jar to Granny and asked her if she knew what it was. [continues 116 words]
For many politicians in Florida, the medical marijuana issue has become election kryptonite. While Florida's two leading gubernatorial candidates have had little trouble discussing their vision for the Sunshine State, neither Charlie Crist nor Gov. Rick Scott has gushed over Amendment 2 - an issue that could have widespread ramifications for the state and influence a national debate on medical marijuana. Their silence on the drug and the constitutional amendment up for a vote on Nov. 4 stands out as one of the few commonalities between Scott, the incumbent Republican, and Democratic challenger Crist. [continues 1370 words]
A large personal injury law firm is pushing to legalize non-prescription marijuana under the guise of "medical marijuana." But genuine "Charlotte's Web" medical marijuana is now legal. The real need has been met. Marijuana's THC is stored and gradually released from human tissue for six weeks after initially being inhaled, causing laziness and an intermittent haze that interferes with coordination, reasoning and short-term memory. That in turn interferes with learning. Police know the damage of marijuana far too well. Legalizing it would sink morale and add to law enforcement burdens. Widespread marijuana usage beyond the rare cases of genuine medical necessity is a disaster. Highways are hazardous enough now. There is no reason to add the danger of more stoned drivers. [continues 91 words]
Hardly a day goes by without a mention of the pot legalization issue in the Letters section, whether it be pro or con or whatever. The letters against the medical marijuana amendment are indeed the most entertaining, due to the fact that most make it out that the users are all going to turn into zombies or werewolves, or some other sort of undesirable misfits who will be out and about mindlessly causing mayhem and havoc upon the general populace. What these anti-pot people are missing is the fact that the people in need of chronic pain relief are already taking pain meds that are far more likely to cause impairment as far as driving, operating machinery, etc. If the truth be known, most of the "users" will probably be sitting back in an easy chair watching an old movie, or listening to music, while having a munchies attack and hopefully enjoying a short period of time pain free! Steve Gardner Venice [end]
I had been somewhat puzzled by the intense opposition to the medical marijuana proposition. After all, marijuana is an easily grown, natural plant product, provides relief from intense pain and could be regulated just as other drugs are. It is already at work in other states. All of the opposition became more clear when I read of the millions of dollars the drug companies have pumped into the campaign to defeat the proposition. At the same time they are proudly announcing the arrival of their new "specialty" drugs, which will be available to the public at the "mere" cost of (gasp) $3,000 for a month's supply. Do you wonder how many Americans could afford to pop a $100 pill every day? The old adage "Follow the money" surely does explain a lot! For compassionate reasons, and for common sense, please vote Yes for medical marijuana. Margaret Pasella, Bradenton [end]
Your Health+Fitness edition of Oct. 7 carried a news clip from The Washington Post titled "Does medical pot work? 92 percent of patients say yes." For those who missed reading it, the following quotes may help provide authoritative evidence of the value of medical marijuana and refute claims such as TV's "There's nothing medical about this marijuana." "A 2013 survey in the New England Journal of Medicine found that nearly eight in 10 doctors approved the use of medical marijuana. Now a representative health survey of 7,525 California adults, produced by the Public Health Institute in partnership with the CDC, found that 92 percent of medical marijuana patients said (that it) alleviated symptoms of their serious medical conditions, including chronic pain, arthritis, migraine and cancer." [continues 59 words]
The proposed constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana is a sham. Nothing in the Florida Constitution prohibits the use of marijuana for any purpose; instead, laws passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor set the ground rules. For example, Florida statutes already permit physicians to prescribe Charlotte's Web, a noneuphoric strain of marijuana. Since it is easier to frame and update the laws based on emerging scientific findings, the proposed constitutional amendment is unduly rigid, as well as unnecessary. In addition, the proposed amendment contains a number of flawed provisions, which have been identified and described by a group of seven retired state Supreme Court justices. These defective provisions would generate lengthy, nettlesome and costly litigation. [continues 128 words]
There may be unforeseen consequences to the passage of the medical marijuana law. In states that have passed medical marijuana there has been a trend of seeing children going to the emergency room with adverse effects. They can have varying effects from respiratory difficulties to trouble walking, to lethargy and unresponsiveness. This presentation can sometimes be confusing to the physician caring for the child and require extensive and expensive evaluations. Although there might be some evidence of usefulness in adults, marijuana may create problems for children. For teens who have had chronic use there has shown to be disruption in normal cognitive development and memory retention. There have also been links to development of schizophrenia even up to four years after discontinuation of the drug in teens and people in their early 20s. [continues 116 words]
When the sheriffs stop warning us, when the politicians stop telling us how they have the solution, when all the insane and inane arguments are made, when all the scary TV and radio commercials are seen or heard, and you look down at your ballot please ask yourself these two questions: 1) Now or in the future could I or someone I know possibly benefit from physician-ordered medical marijuana? 2) Do I trust my physician? If you can answer "yes" to one or both questions, then vote Yes on Amendment 2. I can assure you the sky will not fall, the sun will set, the moon will rise and those in need will forever be indebted to you for your compassion. At the end of the day this issue is all about you and those you care about. Venice [end]
The cities of North Port and Venice are looking to limit medical marijuana operations within their boundaries, but are carefully looking to other communities at ways to do so. The North Port City Commission during a special meeting Tuesday was poised to pass an ordinance, but chose instead to send it to the Planning and Zoning Board for further input. Voters statewide will decide Nov. 4 on Amendment 2, which will legalize the use of medical marijuana. "The intent of this ordinance is to get the discussion started in the City of North Port, how we are going to prepare ourselves if that is a popular vote," City Attorney Mark Moriarty said. [continues 384 words]
Dr. Paul Sloan and others make a strong case for the use of cannabis as a better alternative to pain management than opiates ("Clinic owner makes pot case," Sunday's Herald-Tribune). The problem is not the joint, but the "joints" from which it will be dispensed. While doctors must write the prescription, dispensaries will, in reality, be approved and licensed by politicians and bureaucrats. I don't see any potential for abuse there, do you? The photo in Sunday's edition of the Herald-Tribune, of a California dispensary, doesn't look like any drugstore I've seen, nor does the clerk look like a pharmacist properly trained to fill a doctor's order, verify the patient's identity, and record and store the transaction's information. [continues 72 words]
SARASOTA - Sarasota County and the City of North Port are scurrying to get marijuana ordinances on their books before the Nov. 4 election, part of a growing number of local governments in Florida that are advancing rules ahead of the statewide vote on legalizing medical marijuana. The City of Sarasota, meanwhile, is considering a yearlong moratorium on any marijuana endeavors ahead of the vote on Amendment 2. The City of Palmetto led the way in Southwest Florida last month, with the passage of a new law that prohibits any medical marijuana operations from its downtown and would force potential purveyors to seek permission from city commissioners. [continues 647 words]
Compassion dictates that we vote yes on Amendment 2. Have opponents of the amendment really not had relatives who could have died with less pain and suffering? Do none have a relative with disease symptoms that could be eased with medical marijuana? How can these people be so callous? Perhaps they will find themselves wishing for medical marijuana someday. Vote yes on Amendment 2. Laurie McCullough Sarasota [end]
Even though this year's Amendment 2 is about legalizing medical marijuana, I believe that this is a back-door effort to legalize recreational use of marijuana, as Colorado and Washington have done. When companies want to introduce new products or a new concept, they typically introduce that product in a "test market." By doing this, they are able to judge much better if this will be a success or not and whether it is worth even pursuing any further. Before we rush to approve this amendment, we have "our" test market in the above two states. Wouldn't the prudent course of action be to monitor for a couple of years to see what the results are there in terms of crime, accidents, addiction, etc? Bill Heller Venice [end]
The legalization of medical marijuana in Florida would be a big mistake. Its medical value, although lauded by some, is highly questionable. Various renowned medical organizations have expressed opposition or caveats. Medical legalization is a pathway to recreational legalization -- Colorado and Washington state, thus far. The marijuana drug is infiltrating Colorado schools! Much of the pot is sold as food: pot bars, pot gummy bears, pot cookies, pot suckers, pot hard fruit candies, and even pot soda. Is this what we want in Florida? [continues 55 words]
Paul Sloan's crusade has him paying for billboards and writing letters to the editor, hoping there is time to overcome what he sees as a misguided but effective disinformation campaign. Big names in law enforcement statewide are deeply involved, and not on his side. What cause has him so willing to reach into his wallet? Well, Sloan is a local pain clinic owner who helped lobby for and crafted clinic regulations. But, the odd thing is, he isn't thrilled with the drugs prescribed at his business., and he does not mind saying so. [continues 542 words]
I am a student at Sarasota High School. I am 18 years old and will be voting in my first election this November. I'm voting for Amendment 2. I think it's a good idea for medical marijuana to be legalized because it is helping others (including kids with cancer) with their health problems. Diego Ocho Sarasota [end]
I find it ironic and offensive that the Florida sheriffs have all but seamlessly aligned themselves with the no-on-2 organization -- with some sheriffs even posting the group's ads on their Facebook accounts - -- as this organization's campaign is: * Funded by millions of dollars in gambling money. * Promoting the treatment of medical conditions with only Big Pharma/FDA-approved prescriptions of medications like oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine or Xanax. This organization states the devil's in the details; however, in this group the devil is clearly far more involved. The fabrications, falsehoods and hobgoblins put forth by these strange bedfellows are designed to instill fear simply to protect their authority; a truly selfish act. [continues 76 words]
Two years from now, Florida police may have a new category of impairment to consider: driving under the influence of a physician-recommended intoxicant. Assuming Amendment 2 passes on Nov. 4 allowing the use of medical marijuana in the state, residents would be able to treat a raft of conditions - ranging from cancer to glaucoma - with the plant. But legal or no, getting behind the wheel after using pot would still be a bad decision. Sergeant Robert Jovanovski of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office already is prepared. He has equipped many of his deputies with penlights and the training on how to spot marijuana users and how to question them during field sobriety tests. [continues 755 words]
The summary of Amendment 2 (Medical Marijuana) is misleading. If you read the entire amendment you will learn the following: (1) Possession of marijuana is still a federal crime. (2) There is no age restriction on who may be issued a marijuana "certificate." (3) Doctors issuing medical certificates and state workers issuing medical marijuana ID cards aid in the commission of a federal crime. Medical marijuana treatment centers by their very existence violate federal law. (4) Non-Florida residents can buy marijuana if they have a "certificate" from a doctor. (5) Anyone over the age of 21 can be a "personal caregiver," even a felon. (6) If you are harmed by authorized products, centers, physicians and state employees are exempt from liability if they operate in compliance with regulations and you may not seek relief in the courts. [continues 100 words]
Florida should become 24th state to allow medical use of marijuana Amendment 2 -- titled "Use of Marijuana for Certain Medical Conditions" -- is the most controversial proposal on the general election ballot. Yet, if the measure is approved by at least 60 percent of voters, Florida would not break new ground. Twenty-three states have already approved the use of marijuana for medical reasons. The ballot summary states: "Allows the medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida physician. Allows caregivers to assist patients' medical use of marijuana. The Department of Health shall register and regulate centers that produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes and shall issue identification cards to patients and caregivers. Applies only to Florida law. Does not authorize violations of federal law or any non-medical use, possession or production of marijuana." [continues 779 words]
Gov. Rick Scott and Charlie Crist leveled a host of negative charges against each other on Friday. But for the first time in the campaign, Crist and Scott traded their blows face-to-face, in the first of three debates in the final weeks of their high-stakes, big money contest. Before the debate, which was hosted by the Spanish-language Telemundo network and broadcast Friday evening, the candidates had spent some $55 million on more than 100,000 television spots savaging one another, with three out of four ads containing a negative message. [continues 919 words]
It is worth a little insight as to what Amendment 2 does and does not do. A cursory study finds: It does: * Permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, if authorized by a physician. Currently opium may be said to be permitted, if prescribed by a physician. (Oxycodone is an example). * Provide for registered marijuana treatment centers. * Patient and caregiver identification cards would be issued. It does not: * Affect, plus or minus, the use of marijuana by anyone other than a qualifying patient. [continues 56 words]
With polls close on the issue of medical marijuana, the Orlando attorney who got Amendment 2 on the November ballot traveled to the University of South Florida's campus here Tuesday to urge young people to make their voices heard. Meanwhile, USF researchers conducted a straw poll on campus to gauge how college-age voters are leaning on candidates and issues alike. While there appeared to be little interest in the Rick Scott-Charlie Crist race for governor, the 1,100 students and faculty members casting ballots showed a solid 70 percent support for medicinal use of marijuana. [continues 686 words]
Entrepreneurs like Jaime DiDomenico, owner of Sarasota-based Cool Today, have hard questions about the state constitutional amendment that would allow medical marijuana in Florida. Will it make their liability insurance go up? Will they be able to keep medical marijuana users off their workforce? Though such inquiries abound, there were more questions than answers that came out of a Wednesday forum titled "How Will Amendment 2 Impact Your Business?" The event, sponsored by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, devolved into a debate over the merits and pitfalls of the proposed amendment that will be voted on statewide on Nov. 4. [continues 349 words]
Sarasota County government has drafted an ordinance that would give commissioners control over where medical marijuana establishments could be located if Amendment 2 passes on Nov. 4. The ordinance, slated to be fully passed on Election Day, marks the first at a county level in Southwest Florida regarding medical marijuana. Because it would apply only to unincorporated areas, it would not impact the cities of Sarasota, Venice or North Port. "The county would be able to look at each request (for a marijuana-related business) on a case-by-case basis," said county spokesman Jason Bartalone, regarding the proposed ordinance. [continues 343 words]
There is a lot of talk about medical marijuana these days. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical purposes. Another 10 have authorized the so-called Charlotte's Web strain that is high in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. This patchwork quilt of laws has led to an even more dense briar patch of rules and regulations, making it difficult to get a precise estimate of how many people are legally using marijuana medically in each state, but a cumulative figure often heard is 2.4 million and that doesn't seem far fetched. California, for example, estimates that almost 1 million Californians have the "215 card," and Michigan has well over 100,000 enrolled in that state's medical marijuana program. [continues 907 words]
LAKEWOOD RANCH - Altmed LLC managers expect to not just be growing marijuana but turning it into Bhang branded chocolates, chewing gum and oral spray if voters ratify the medical marijuana amendment on Nov. 4. The Lakewood Ranch-based start-up said Thursday that it has signed a licensing deal giving Altmed the exclusive Florida rights to an already well-received product line. Bhang's cannabis-infused sweets are one of the most recognizable brands in states that allow medical marijuana sales to qualified patients. Licensing deals are in place for seven states. [continues 529 words]
It was my pleasure to be one of many persons to attend the Herald-Tribune's Hot Topics forum about Florida's proposed constitutional Amendment 2 on Wednesday. The issue is whether or not the Florida should allow "physicians" to recommend the use of marijuana (or "pot") for treatment of certain illnesses, some of which are not clearly identified. If adopted, Florida will join many other states that allow some degree of sales of pot. The 90 minutes of the program went very quickly, and left only enough time for one specific question from the very interested audience. Perhaps Michael Pollick, the very experienced staff person assigned to this project, will answer many questions between now and Election Day. With that hope, I include four questions: [continues 118 words]
The debate over legalizing medical marijuana goes on and on. I ask those who would say "no" to stop and think. Think of the 8-year-old child who suffers nine-plus seizures a day from epilepsy, or the ALS patient who wakes in the night screaming from cramps and pain, or the cancer patient seeking pain relief. These are the people medical marijuana will help. The abusers will abuse, regardless of the legal status. Legalizing medical marijuana will not increase the number of abusers; it will help the sick. Opiates are legal, yet they are so abused that they kill. [continues 114 words]
Florida voters may approve medical marijuana this year, but we must remember that federal Laws passed in 1986 during the Reagan Administration mandate prison sentences for unauthorized possession and/or sale of all illegal drugs. Marijuana is a Class I narcotic, in the same category as cocaine, LSD and heroin! The Drug Enforcement Administration should re-evaluate this classification. There is some merit to the claims that marijuana alleviates pain and spasm in some neurological and malignant diseases. However, if a Florida physician approves the use of marijuana for a patient, he will be liable for federal prosecution. It would seem that we must legalize marijuana at the federal level first, if we are going to move in that direction. [continues 76 words]
The pain doctor called it a treatment that has not been properly tested. The sheriff raised the fear of more crime. The lawyer emphasized the carefully-crafted legal boundaries. The scientist said it is a drug with significant benefits. Florida voters will soon decide whether the state should become the first in the south to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, and all sides are urging voters to get informed on the issue before casting their ballots. A panel of experts assembled Wednesday by the Herald-Tribune as part of the ongoing "Hot Topics" series of community forums hosted by New College gave a thorough overview of the issues at stake in the medical marijuana debate. [continues 364 words]
In November, voters will consider legalizing marijuana in the state of Florida for medicinal purposes. Organizers easily gathered the signatures needed to get the issue on the ballot, and various polls suggest there may be enough public support to pass it into Florida law. As someone who owes his job to the wishes of our constituents and the elective process, I am always reluctant to deny the people something they may want. However, it is my firm belief that the campaign to get this issue on the ballot, and the ballot amendment itself, are at best misguided and at worst intentionally misleading. [continues 650 words]
In response to naive naysayers who subscribe to the 50-year-old paranoid propaganda of marijuana use, real-time statistics are available at your fingertips using Google. Dr. Sanjay Gupta says we have been "systematically misled" on marijuana. While investigating, I realized something else quite important. Medical marijuana is not new, and the medical community has been writing about it for a long time. There were in fact hundreds of journal articles, mostly documenting the benefits. Most of those papers, however, were written between the years 1840 and 1930. The papers described the use of medical marijuana to treat "neuralgia, convulsive disorders, emaciation," among other things. [continues 73 words]
Kim Russell is not a hippie. A devout Christian, Russell homeschools her children and drives them to play dates in a minivan. The 42-year-old is treasurer of a stay-at-home moms group and a member of her local Republican executive committee. She does not own any tie-dye clothes. Still, the bumper sticker on Russell's Chrysler Town & Country can draw "interesting looks." Passing drivers sometimes smile or give her a thumbs up when they read that Russell wants to make medical marijuana legal in Florida. [continues 1670 words]
