Christine Green
New Member
On top of selecting a new president, voting on a new U.S. Senator and choosing Florida lawmakers, Floridians will vote on five constitutional amendments later this year. Getting a constitutional amendment to pass isn't a walk in the park. Each amendment needs 60 percent of the vote in order to pass, and groups in favor of and against each amendment typically tend to spend millions of dollars in campaigns to push their message.
The more highly publicized amendments will have big bucks pumped into them in an election year where voter participation is likely to be higher than it was two years ago.
Sunshine State News took a closer look at what's hitting the ballot in November.
Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana for Floridians with "debilitating" medical conditions, is back up for a vote in 2016 after falling two points short of the necessary requirement to become a reality in the Sunshine State.
The medical marijuana initiative has been perhaps the most widely publicized of all the amendments up for a vote this year.
People United For Medical Marijuana (United For Care), the political committee led by Orlando attorney, responsible for pushing the amendment in 2014, launched a statewide petition campaign to get the amendment back on the ballot in 2016.
Once the petition gathered the 683,000 necessary signatures to get back on the ballot, it was game on in the race to the polls.
The petition would allow for the medical use of marijuana by a qualifying patient or caregiver. It would also prohibit physicians from being subject to criminal or civil liabilities under Florida law for issuing a prescription for medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana would only be allowed for use for those with "debilitating" medical conditions which would include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, and for other conditions which a physician feels using medical marijuana would outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.
That means the average Joe wouldn't be able to go into a pharmacy and get a prescription unless it was approved by their doctor.
Supporters of the amendment say it's long overdue for patients who desperately need medical marijuana to provide relief from their medical conditions.
Opponents of Amendment 2 include Say No On 2/Drug Free Florida, which says the initiative's language is too broad and would give "anyone, anywhere," the ability to purchase medical pot. Vote No On 2 says the amendment is simply a "loophole" which would allow people who aren't doctors the ability to prescribe medical marijuana.
The campaign for medical marijuana was an expensive battle in 2014. John Morgan put $7 million of his own money into the campaign to legalize medical marijuana, while Drug Free Florida raised $6 million for the effort. It's likely he will contribute a significant amount of cash towards the effort this year as well.
On the opposing side, Republican fundraiser Mel Sembler has said he plans to raise at least $10 million for the 2016, exceeding the $7.5 million he raised for the effort against medical marijuana in 2014.
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: https://www.sunshinestatenews.com/sto...florida-ballot
Author: Allison Nielson
Contact: news@sunshinestatenews.com
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: https://www.sunshinestatenews.com
The more highly publicized amendments will have big bucks pumped into them in an election year where voter participation is likely to be higher than it was two years ago.
Sunshine State News took a closer look at what's hitting the ballot in November.
Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana for Floridians with "debilitating" medical conditions, is back up for a vote in 2016 after falling two points short of the necessary requirement to become a reality in the Sunshine State.
The medical marijuana initiative has been perhaps the most widely publicized of all the amendments up for a vote this year.
People United For Medical Marijuana (United For Care), the political committee led by Orlando attorney, responsible for pushing the amendment in 2014, launched a statewide petition campaign to get the amendment back on the ballot in 2016.
Once the petition gathered the 683,000 necessary signatures to get back on the ballot, it was game on in the race to the polls.
The petition would allow for the medical use of marijuana by a qualifying patient or caregiver. It would also prohibit physicians from being subject to criminal or civil liabilities under Florida law for issuing a prescription for medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana would only be allowed for use for those with "debilitating" medical conditions which would include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, and for other conditions which a physician feels using medical marijuana would outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.
That means the average Joe wouldn't be able to go into a pharmacy and get a prescription unless it was approved by their doctor.
Supporters of the amendment say it's long overdue for patients who desperately need medical marijuana to provide relief from their medical conditions.
Opponents of Amendment 2 include Say No On 2/Drug Free Florida, which says the initiative's language is too broad and would give "anyone, anywhere," the ability to purchase medical pot. Vote No On 2 says the amendment is simply a "loophole" which would allow people who aren't doctors the ability to prescribe medical marijuana.
The campaign for medical marijuana was an expensive battle in 2014. John Morgan put $7 million of his own money into the campaign to legalize medical marijuana, while Drug Free Florida raised $6 million for the effort. It's likely he will contribute a significant amount of cash towards the effort this year as well.
On the opposing side, Republican fundraiser Mel Sembler has said he plans to raise at least $10 million for the 2016, exceeding the $7.5 million he raised for the effort against medical marijuana in 2014.
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: https://www.sunshinestatenews.com/sto...florida-ballot
Author: Allison Nielson
Contact: news@sunshinestatenews.com
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: https://www.sunshinestatenews.com
