With less than 60 days left until the November election, things are getting more and more heated throughout the country. Over the next few weeks those trying to pass marijuana reform initiatives have their work cut out for them – and here in Florida, that is no different. The Amendment 2 Campaign reminded everyone today with an e-mail they sent out that medical marijuana in Florida is still not a guaranteed thing – not until after we win this election.
On the other hand, we can still celebrate each small victory as it comes our way – like when Senator Jeff Brandes gave Amendment 2 his endorsement last week, becoming the first GOP Senator to do so. It’s encouraging to get his support; after all, he is one of the few lawmakers in the state who has been trying to work towards medical marijuana and was disappointed with the outcome when it was left in the hands of legislature.
“The Legislature screwed up the opportunity in the medical marijuana law. What you’ve seen them do is create a situation where only a handful of families can get wealthy,” Brandes said. “And the Legislature believes it knows better than physicians on how to treat patients. And the only way we’re going to see meaningful change in that area is to put it in the Constitution.”
What Senator Brandes has said here is important – because many voters who don’t know any better are being tricked by the opposition into thinking that the legislature has already covered medical marijuana and that Amendment 2 is unnecessary. In reality, the laws in Florida currently only serve a very small percentage of the population who could benefit from medical marijuana and has made it extremely difficult for that small number of people to actually gain access to the CBD medications.
“Senator Brandes has, for years, made significant efforts to secure access to patients through the legislative system. That he is supporting the revised version of Amendment 2 is a big deal, and a signal that this is non-partisan issue. Passing Amendment 2 is about helping the hundreds of thousands of very ill people in Florida find relief through another option with the consent of their doctor.” – Ben Pollara, United for Care Campaign Manager
Along with the exciting endorsement from Senator Brandes, Amendment 2 also received an endorsement from the Florida NAACP, as well as Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana in the last week as well. With the time left to bring awareness to Amendment 2 coming to an end, it’s good to see more and more support – with polls averaging 70% right now things are looking good for Amendment 2, but it’s still not a sure thing until the numbers come in on November 8th.
