Medical Marijuana Supporters Move to Get Issue on the Ballot

Medical marijuana supporters vowed not to give up after losing their bid for legalization by a narrow vote in 2014.

They’ve kept that vow.

An estimated 100,000 petitions requesting the issue’s return to the 2016 ballot have been delivered to county supervisor of elections offices for validation, Orlando Weekly reported. If a total of 68,317 petitions stand up to scrutiny, a final decision will be made by the Florida Supreme Court. The court approved a similar petition pushed by United for Care for inclusion on the 2014 ballot.

While backers of legalized medical marijuana use faced defeat of Amendment 2 last November, the margin was slim. State law calls for approval by 60 percent of registered voters in order for an amendment to pass. Amendment 2 received 57.6 percent of the vote.

This time around supporters say they’ve closed “loopholes” in their proposal that raised concerns in the 2014 election, New Times reported. The new petition, for example, requires parental consent for minors and calls for legalized use only by people who have debilitating medical conditions, among other tweaks.

See Also:

• New Medical Marijuana Petition Drive Begins in Florida
• Medical Marijuana Vote Fails in Florida
• John Morgan Not Giving Up on Medical Marijuana: Are You?

The newest petition drive kicked off in January with heavy support from Orlando and Tampa Bay area lawyer John Morgan. Morgan reportedly spent millions during the first election go-around and has pledged his support – and wallet – to the effort once again.

While groups, such as the Florida Sheriffs Association, have yet to state their positions on the new proposal, others have already come out against it.

“There are still very significant, fatal flaws in it,” Orlando Weekly quoted Calvina Fay of the St. Petersburg-based Drug Free America Foundation as saying. “They didn’t change the fact that they’re creating a big marijuana industry.”

The petition is still open for signatures on the United For Care website.

It is unclear exactly when the issue will go before the state supreme court.

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