Lawyer Says Big Money Lined Up For Medical Marijuana Campaign

July 15, 2014

Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan said he has pledges of up to $6 million — not including his own substantial checkbook — to back a proposed constitutional amendment going before voters in November that would allow doctors to order marijuana for patients with debilitating illnesses.

Morgan, who largely bankrolled the petition effort that put Amendment 2 on the ballot, said Monday he is prepared to again unfold his own wallet to convince voters to support the proposal which, like all constitutional questions, requires 60 percent approval for passage.

“We’ve got people coming from all over America to help us,” Morgan said in a telephone interview from New Hampshire. “I’ve got at least $6 million committed as of today, without more money from me. I believe we’re going to be able to do it.”

Renewed support from Morgan — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist’s boss and close friend — comes as opponents of the measure, aided by Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate and supporter of Republican Gov. Rick Scott, double down on efforts to kill it.

Adelson, whose son Mitchell reportedly died of a drug overdose in 2005 and whose wife Miriam is a physician specializing in substance-abuse treatment, contributed $2.5 million to the “Drug Free Florida Committee,” one of two organizations lining up against the proposal.

Morgan has contributed at least $3.75 million to People United for Medical Marijuana, a political committee supporting the amendment that has spent more than $5 million so far. Supporters of the amendment recently set up a new federal 501(c)4 committee that can keep its donors secret. But “Florida for Care” organizers say the group is focused on creating a regulatory framework for the amendment if it is approved.

Debate is heating up over Amendment 2, which would allow physicians to order medical marijuana for patients they decide are suitable for the treatment. The debate comes as the state grapples with creating an infrastructure for a type of cannabis that purportedly does not get users high but can eliminate or dramatically reduce life-threatening seizures in children with a severe form of epilepsy. Lawmakers approved that type of cannabis this spring.

Scott, who has said he opposes the constitutional amendment, signed into law the measure authorizing strains of marijuana that are low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD. The law also allows patients who suffer from severe muscle spasms or cancer to be put on a “compassionate use registry” for the low-THC product as long as their doctors approve. Under the law, five growers who meet certain criteria, including having been in business as nurseries in Florida for at least 30 years, will be authorized by the state to manufacture, process and distribute the product — usually sold in paste or oil form — to patients put on the “compassionate use registry.”

“Ganjapreneurs” from around the world are flocking to Florida — the first state to implement a law in which growers will also process and distribute the low-THC, high-CBD product — in hopes of getting in on the ground floor of the cannabis industry.

“There is going to be money made and whether you’re selling beer in a convenience store or topless dances in Ybor City, you’re going to have people who want to make money. That’s just who we are,” Morgan said.

The state’s newest regulated industry has attracted “charlatans” who are likely interested in the more lucrative possibilities traditional medical marijuana holds should Amendment 2 pass, Morgan said.

“It looks like a bunch of cockroaches that just got sprayed with Raid. They’re spinning around going nowhere fast,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who think this is their way to get out of their coat and tie and walk around in their Jimmy Buffet outfit all day long. I believe that right now I could make millions of dollars if I could set up a lemonade stand saying I’m the marijuana guru, call me for information. You can’t imagine how many people are calling me thinking I’m going to be the way and the light.”

Polls have consistently showed widespread support for the medical marijuana amendment but that was before what is developing into an all-out attack on the measure, including opposition from law enforcement groups like the Florida Sheriffs Association.

Critics have accused Morgan of putting the medical marijuana amendment on the ballot to increase turnout among left-leaning voters who typically stay home during mid-term elections and who may be more likely to support Crist.

But Morgan predicted fighting the amendment could backfire against Republican candidates like Attorney General Pam Bondi and Scott, who both oppose the measure.

“It’s like if you told African Americans we’re going to shut down voting times or voting days, they said, ‘The hell you are,’ and came out and voted in record numbers,” Morgan said.

But Sarah Bascom, a spokeswoman for what is known as the “Vote No on 2″ campaign, accused Morgan of using the amendment to gin up support for Crist.

“Mr. Morgan’s comments are further proof that he’s not doing this ‘for the people,’ but as part of his own political agenda. This preoccupation with politics probably explains why the loophole ridden amendment was written so poorly,” she said.

by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida

Comments

18 Responses to “Lawyer Says Big Money Lined Up For Medical Marijuana Campaign”

  1. CB on July 18th, 2014 12:34 pm

    I wondered how long it would take to legalize marajuana. I mean completely legal.
    I smoke it occaisionally and go to work and take care of my family. I once asked my mother what was wrong with it and she told me, “the government says its wrong”. Oh lord I told her. That’s whats wrong with the world now. People listen to every little thing the govt says like sheep to the slaughter. They’ve made people dependent upon them yet “we don’t want big govt”. Yeah right.
    As for pot, the govt has spent so many billions on the “war on drugs” they can’t save face by just letting it slide. The only way they can is by having the AMA come up with some new report stating,”new studies have shown its not as bad as once thought”. You just remember, from King James to 9-11, it’s all about controlling the people. They could care less about your safety or rights (the little you now have) or pursuit of happiness.
    Never heard a news report though about “crazed kid on pot shoots up school”, or “man robs bank addicted to pot”, or “girl taken to hospital from pot overdose”, better yet, “pile-up on I-10 caused by granny high on pot”.
    It’s all about perception and when your senses are continually hammered by its bad its bad its bad, just habit to believe so. Nostalgic because you heard it growing up.
    It is what it is though. Never be able to stop it until the chip comes.

  2. well on July 17th, 2014 10:49 pm

    Could care less who’s on what side. Let’s all vote our convictions and upbringing and live with it.
    It is what it is at that point. Just as it is now.

  3. Frederick Loren on July 17th, 2014 9:06 am

    There goes Sarah Bascom shooting off her mouth again without having any idea of what she’s talking about! As a bought and paid for public relations shill for the prohibitionist groups that comprise “No on 2″, she is world-renowned for her misstatements, inaccurate information and downright lies. She disparages John Morgan by characterizing his intentions as a “political agenda”. Exactly how does she divine what John Morgan is thinking to himself? Is she a psychic or a medium? The answer is that no one can judge another’s intentions, only their actions and words – and Mr. Morgan has clearly stated that he supports Amendment 2 because it will allow for the compassionate treatment of debilitating conditions with the use of medical cannabis…

    As for the amendment being poorly written, why, it was done so badly that the Florida Supreme Court validated it! So now Sarah is saying that she knows better than the SC! That’s a lame joke, IMHO…

    Any time that Sarah Bascom or “No on 2″ issues a statement or a release, it is completely untrue. The question that I have is why anyone is even listening to this shill group. They do the public a great disservice when they falsely portray the issue incorrectly so as to attempt to sway the poorly informed with their 101-style propaganda. This is an individual and a group that the MSM should simply ignore as they don’t have anything of value to add to the debate…

  4. Resident of fl on July 17th, 2014 5:13 am

    Something that was supposed to help kids, now will be on market legal, by dr. Rx, NOBODY needs marijuana for any type of muscle spasms, I knew money hungry fl wouldn’t stop@ just helping kid, now it will be abused

  5. 429SCJ on July 17th, 2014 4:24 am

    This is like voting as to weather or not we are going to allow the rain to fall.

    Formality.

    You cannot even control our nations borders, what makes you think you have any control in this.

    Illusion or delusion?

  6. Anne Mc on July 16th, 2014 7:19 pm

    Decriminalize marijuana, tax the sale of it and watch the budget deficits disappear… all of this with the added benefit of taking it out of the hands of the “black marketers”, placing it under a system that will insure quality and monitor quantities (much as they used to do with Robitussin AC and Donnagel PG or just plain Paragoric)! It would seem to me that cutting into the profits of street drug dealers alone would be worth it; taxing it a plus for the state and insuring quality a huge plus for the people using it!

  7. Mr. Reality on July 16th, 2014 4:28 pm

    JUST LISTENING, WOW TALK ABOUT UNINFORMED…

  8. 429SCJ on July 15th, 2014 5:12 pm

    People consume alcohol to get a buzz (alter state of mind), what is wrong with pot, other than what people misconceive…

    And if you receive a medical benefit on the side, well then fine and good.

    When that cash starts pouring into the state treasury, everyone will feel a lot better about all this, then the matter can be consigned to history.

  9. paul on July 15th, 2014 5:03 pm

    Everybody has an agenda.. Do research on the top 5 companies fighting legalization..

  10. MolinoDawn on July 15th, 2014 3:34 pm

    Vote Yes on 2. If you oppose medical marijuana then you are very uninformed and uneducated on the subject. Do some research and get to the polls!

  11. miixster on July 15th, 2014 11:45 am

    doctors have been drug dealers for sometime. oxycotin,lortabs, and other pain meds have made addicts of innocent people in large numbers. medical pot would be a lot safer than these drugs that are being prescibed in mass quantities.

  12. Rufus Lowgun on July 15th, 2014 11:44 am

    Florida is known across the nation as a pill mill where prescription pain killers like Oxycontin (hillbilly heroin) are as easy to get as a bag of M&M’s, and people are worried about marijuana?

  13. BT on July 15th, 2014 11:04 am

    Southerner,

    I agree this has no place in the state constitution. However, if over 60% of the population has no voice in their government, then the amendment is the only way to be heard.

    Our representatives only want us for our votes. They get their money from somewhere else.

  14. Frank on July 15th, 2014 9:42 am

    Someone would have to be High to vote for Chris again…. I hated him the last time he was Governor.

  15. Bob C on July 15th, 2014 8:48 am

    I do support the use of medical marijuana and all it took to convince me was seeing the amazing change in the life of the young girl, “Charlotte” who had suffered from dozens of seizures per day. The number and intensity of the seizures was dramatically reduced and it goes into food instead of smoking.

    To “just listening” the answer is Yes, the dollar does indeed talk, YELL out loud.
    Many things our government does “for the people” is motivated by money more so than by “good”.

    A problem for the state legalized marijuana dealers in Colorado is that they cannot have bank accounts as the marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal laws that also control banking. All transactions must be Cash Only and after a few months the companies have huge stockpiles of US Currency with no way to process it into a bank system. Most have secret areas where the cash is kept under high security.

    My question is, should the medical marijuana bill become law in Florida would the providers here have the same problem with having a cash only and no banking system?

    Whatever happens, Crist does NOT need to be our governor.

  16. southerner on July 15th, 2014 7:59 am

    I am not opposed to the legalization of medical marijuana BUT I DO NOT INTEND TO VOTE FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT FOR IT. This kind of thing has no place in our state constitution!

  17. knowa on July 15th, 2014 7:41 am

    Vote Yes On 2

  18. just listening on July 15th, 2014 7:36 am

    The dollar talks?
    It’s sad that the dollar can manipulate the minds of our State Senators into passing legislation that could harm our citizens. Can you imagine the lives that will be wrecked due to legalizing this drug. There are plenty of drugs on the market that are legal thru the Food and Drug administration without legalizing a weed that has been known to harm, making it available for questionable Doctors to become a behind the scene drug dealer. So many times Police Officers find drugs on people and no prescription to own. Just another opportunity for a drug to fall into the wrong hands. Just saying.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News