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Florida Medical Marijuana Proposal Falls Short
November 5, 2014
Little more than three months ago, Floridians appeared poised to overwhelmingly pass a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana.
But Tuesday, after a barrage of negative ads by opponents, the idea came crashing down.
As of 11 p.m., 57.5 percent of voters backed the proposed amendment — known as Amendment 2 — that would have allowed patients to receive the substance. But constitutional amendments require approval from 60 percent of voters to pass.
“This amendment, had it been ingrained in the constitution, would have been very bad for Florida,” said Sarah Bascom, a spokeswoman for “Vote No on 2,” a group that fought legalization. “There are no do-overs in the constitution, so the only way to rectify this amendment and to fix this issue was to vote no.”
The pot proposal was one of three constitutional amendments on the ballot Tuesday. Voters easily passed an amendment that will lead to increased funding for land conservation and other environmental projects. They rejected a third amendment that involved the appointment of Supreme Court justices and appeals-court judges.
The medical-marijuana initiative was spearheaded by Orlando attorney John Morgan, who is known throughout the state for his ubiquitous Morgan and Morgan law-firm television ads and billboards.
In July, a Quinnipiac University poll indicated that 88 percent of Floridians — across all age groups — approved of medical marijuana. But support for the proposed amendment later dropped as it was hit with millions of dollars in television ads and opposition from sheriffs, Republican leaders and business groups.
Opponents said the amendment included loopholes that would lead to a wide-open pot industry that would go far beyond helping patients who suffer from debilitating illnesses. The anti-Amendment 2 effort got crucial help from Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who contributed $5.5 million to the Drug Free Florida political committee, which ran ads blasting the proposal.
“Too broad. Too many risks. Vote no on Amendment 2,” said an ad released last week.
But United for Care, a group that led the amendment campaign, said the attacks were aimed at scaring voters and were untrue.
“Amendment 2 will pass this November because Floridians are far more intelligent than the ‘No on 2′ campaign believes,” Ben Pollara, campaign manager for United for Care, said last week. “Voters will choose compassion over fear-mongering.”
While the medical-marijuana initiative was highly controversial, the land-conservation amendment drew grumbling from Republican legislative leaders and some business groups but appeared to have no organized opposition. It received about 75 percent of the vote Tuesday.
The proposal, which was Amendment 1 on the ballot, will require the state to dedicate a portion of real-estate tax revenue over the next 20 years for environmental preservation. The proposal will generate billions of dollars from the already-existing tax, with the money going to buy or restore areas crucial to Florida’s water supply, such as the land around springs, and natural systems that have been despoiled, such as the Everglades.
“Clearly the people of Florida care about their environment,” said Allison DeFoor, who chaired the effort to pass the amendment. “We believed that when we started this effort, and we bet everything we had on it. It appears our hope was warranted.”
Supporters argued the measure is necessary because lawmakers in recent years dramatically reduced funding for the Florida Forever conservation program. Republican legislative leaders, however, argued against the amendment because it would force lawmakers to set aside a pot of money every year for conservation and give them less flexibility in how to spend tax dollars.
The third amendment on the ballot was placed there by Republican lawmakers and involved a complicated question about the appointment of future Supreme Court justices and appeals-court judges. It received only about 48 percent support.
The proposal was spurred by the possibility that three Supreme Court justices — Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince — will have to step down in early 2019 because of a mandatory retirement age. They could leave the court at the same time a new governor takes office, depending on the outcome of the 2018 gubernatorial election.
The amendment would allow an outgoing governor — rather than the incoming governor — to appoint the replacements. Supporters said the proposal was needed to avoid a potential constitutional crisis that could emerge if there is a dispute about who holds the appointment power.
But Democrats and other critics argued that the proposal was a power grab by Republican supporters of Gov. Rick Scott, who, if re-elected Tuesday, would leave office in early 2019. In such a scenario, Scott — and not his successor — would be able to fill the Supreme Court openings.
by Jim Saunders and Tom Urban, The News Service of Florida
Comments
21 Responses to “Florida Medical Marijuana Proposal Falls Short”
@ curious
Learn your bible if you want to tell me what Gods will is for me or anyone else.
Genesis chapter 1:11-12 chapter 1:26-31
The Bible clearly states that God created the seed bearing plants of the earth and they are for human use and consumption, the only one forbidden is the fruit from the tree of knowledge. No where else in the bible does it say we should not use the plants provided for us by our father GOD, nor does the Bible say or imply that another person should control what a person can or cannot put into thier body. Just because you do not agree with myself or others on our choices, does not give you or anyone else power over us. Only a hypocrite will point out the mote in my eye, while ignoring the beam in his/her own eye. We are given certain rules to follow in the bible and only the command to not eat from the tree of knowledge pertains to plants. To many people claiming to be christians turn out to be hypocrites instead, because they want to have dominion over those who do not follow what THEY believe, instead of following Gods word.
@ Mic Hill
Actually the majority of voters did support it, hence 58%. Sadly, once again the well oiled republican propaganda machine was is full swing. Once the fat cats get their ducks in a row and can make money off it, it will pass without all the scare tactics.
There was a reason these fat-cats poured money into the “anti-pot” message. They were not going to get paid like they thought they should. I’ll also say that the amendment, if it was full of loopholes, should be re-written and re-introduced. There’s a way to do this legally without big growers and other profiteers. A state sanctioned grow farm and close inspection could have easily kept out the riff-raff and resulted in some relief for those suffering from seizures and cancer symptoms. Fear mongers won out again.
It’s coming to a city near you legally
Also, if people don’t like the laws of fl, like not legalizing dope, not allowing same sex marriages, move, wouldn’t hurt my feelings a bit, I wish we could vote for shutting down the drug clinics, people say I have rights, yeah, you do, you have a right to move out of the sunshine state, or else go to a private island & build y’all’s own Sodom & Gomorrah & take these true dope heads w/ you, you’ll find out then what God likes & doesn’t like. Some people actually might get helped then.
Shame on anyone who voted against this amendment!! You need to wake up to the real world, and visit the people who are suffering!! Ignorance, just pure old ignorance!
If I was suffering in pain, and Mary J would help relieve some pain , I wouldn’t care what any law was .. I would get any way and to hades with anyone else!!!! Bank on it !!
So sad. Misinformation, false righteousness, and fear. And, now a little boy I know that has had seizures all his life will suffer for it. :’( The majority SHOULD carry a vote on anything. I bet if it was on gay marriage or abortion, it would pass without 60% Somebody in our politically correct government would see to it. But wait! God created Marijuana. Not, the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ drug companies that are making synthetic “medicine.”
Boo hoo, the stoners have to work a little harder to get their dope. The LAST thing we need in Florida is to legalize a drug that makes people fat, lazy, and stupid. We have plenty of that without legalized pot.
@DALEK,
Exactly as you say , if all of you need it, there are states where it is available.
Legally.
WELL IF ALL OF YOU THAT VOTED AGAINST IT ,NEEDED IT WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WELL THEN THEY NEED TO CLOSE ALL THE STATE RUN METHADONE CLINICS , THE LOTTERY,AND ANY OTHER TYPE AGENCY THAT SELLS ITEMS THAT IMPAIRES YOUR ABILITY TO FUNCTION NORMALLY JMO.
I mean, re-electing PAM BONDI on top of it?
Proving once more why the Florida Electorate is the laughing-stock of the USA—
Flori-DUH~!!
A bunch of self righteous people who think they are better equipped to make life decisions for other people. While these people who need marijuana are suffering, I’m sure most of these self righteous people are going home in the afternoon having their martini before super and then taking their muscle relaxers for their hurting back and their sleeping pills so they can sleep. Feeling all smug that they have made the world a better place to live in. It makes me sick.
Well Florida we’ve screwed our selves out of a new source of taxable income and have made sure that drug dealers all across the state keep getting paid. Yes it is obviously a way for “potheads” to get weed LEAGLY. Why is this a bad thing? Here is why it is actually a great thing! It would keep people out of jail for pot related drug arrests, and yes there are a lot of them this is Florida we like our mandatory minimum prison sentences. It would save a ton of tax money on surveillance equipment that is used to track down marijuana growers. Most importantly it would give the people a better way of regulating the substance. I have not even mentioned the tax money that would be collected due to this. Prohibition DOES NOT WORK back in the 20’s and 30’s we as a Nation learned the hard way with alcohol that it is far better to legalize it and regulate it than it is to ban it.
Pot is easy to get illegaly by Potheads but not for legal needs.
Early in 2014 Adelson donated $2.5 million to the political committee trying to defeat Florida’s Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative which would legalize Medical cannabis in that state.[60][61] Later in 2014 Adelson donated an additional $1.5 million to the No On 2 campaign. He believes that cannabis is a gateway drug. [62]
He has also donated $4 million dollars to the Drug Free Florida Committee in an effort to combat the legalization of Medical Marijuana in the state of Florida. [63]
why just Florida and not Washington dc Oregon and Alaska?
If the electorate could be assured that this measure would be administered properly and monitored closely , it would surely pass.
Anyone who knows or has seen patients suffering with conditions that could be effectively treated with marijuana would understand that living with the disease or the side effects of it’s treatment is misery and that relief is a humane and compassionate act.
Conversely, marijuana is a drug , and accordingly should be treated as such. As with any drug , including current prescription drugs, it’s misuse can be as bad as it’s benefits can be good.
When prescribed for certified patients , medical marijuana can help restore quality of life to people living with debilitating diseases.
With this close of a result , another referendum is indicated.
Sorry but it did not pass BECAUSE of the lack of limitations on who could get or distribute. Most of the people in this state are not stupid. The state would have a law now if potheads who wanted easy access and those who wanted the profits did not get in the way.
Simply put. Most thought that the laws were poorly thought out with few limitation and written by those who would put money in their friends pockets.
If this is to be treated AS a DRUG then treat it like every other drug. Distribute from pharmacies ONLY! Prescriptions only by a real doctor. Not a pot script writer. With a real diagnosis or a real need to match the condition. Most saw the way this was written as “I feel bad doc give me a script for pot” law.
Again it was the fault of those who wrote this that it did not pass. The almost passage shows you this.
Im very disappointed in this amendment not passing. Ive seen too many ppl suffer/nausea from cancer treatments, have someone very close to me that suffers from multiple seizures where this could have helped them overcome so of this pain and discomfort. I am very sorry it did not pass. Hopefully, it can be brought back to the table and can be pushed in more positve terms so that it will pass.
With the vote this close, the amendment will be back with changes to fix what the fear mongers said were loopholes.
The biggest un-published reason the fear-mongers did not tell us was that it left out existing drug companies from making the profits.