Jim Rosica
John Morgan’s lawsuit against the state for not allowing medical marijuana to be smoked is “disappointing,” but “not surprising,” said the head of the Drug Free America Foundation on Thursday.
Morgan, the Orlando-based attorney and entrepreneur, backed the medical marijuana constitutional amendment that was OK’d by 71 percent of voters last year on the statewide ballot. He filed suit earlier on Thursday.
“It is obvious that the goal of the Legislature, which puts the health and safety of all Floridians first, is in clear conflict with his plans to profit from the sale of marijuana in the state,” said Calvina Fay, the foundation’s executive director, in a statement.
Morgan previously has “acknowledged a business plan to acquire an existing grower,” but avoided questions about details.
On Thursday, he sidestepped another question about his business interests in medical marijuana, saying he “wake(s) up every day in a 100-percent effort to make money, and lots of it … I’m never going to apologize for that.”
Fay said Gov. Rick Scott and lawmakers “took the responsible approach in implementing” the state’s new constitutional amendment on medical marijuana. Their legislation (SB 8-A) allows vaping and edibles, but not smoking.
“Florida (is) setting a standard that can be followed by other states seeking to make their medical marijuana programs safer and more responsible,” she added.
“While not perfect, the legislation succeeded in finding a balance that protects the public health and safety of all Floridians while allowing the legal access to marijuana that was approved by voters.”
The St. Petersburg-based foundation was founded in 1995 by former U.S. Ambassador Mel Sembler and wife Betty.
It opposes what it calls “so-called medical marijuana,” saying in part in an online position paper, “Since marijuana is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no way to determine proper dosage and potential side-effects with other medications.”
2 comments
DFAFareSHILLS!
July 6, 2017 at 2:26 pm
Calvina Fay and the “Drug Free America Foundation” are shills for the pharmaceutical industry (at least 5 pharma companies provide their funding). DFAF wrote the initial House version of the bill that was brought forward by Ray Rodrigues. (remember that? No vaping, no smoking, no edibles, oils & tinctures only??!).
It’s funny how an organization like DFAF and incorrigible people like Calvina Fay and the Semblers who were so dead against medical cannabis and who spent millions of dollars trying to defeat it are now standing with their hands out waiting to collect money from the state for “marijuana education and addiction” public service classes.
As usual, it’s all about money. Google “Straight Inc” to read all about the Semblers’ foray into the “for-profit” addiction treatment center business model. Its an eye-opener…
DFAF, the Semblers, and Calvina Fay need to GO AWAY. Besides the fact that they are shills for Big Pharma, their views on cannabis are inconsistent with SCIENCE and LOGIC.
There’s a HUGE opiate epidemic in the country, yet DFAF and its lowly gaggle of ignorants will gladly take funding from the companies that make the deadly opiates in order to demonize a plant that has never killed a human being in all of recorded history….. all in the name of protecting big pharma’s profits.
Terry Davis
July 10, 2017 at 9:11 am
We are not setting the example for anyone quite the contrary we are not following the will of the majority of voters in Floridwe all expected the right to smoke our cannibis in privacy of our homes.
Comments are closed.