James Call
Medicinal marijuana advocates will try again in 2016, according to a report from the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau. John Morgan who financed the 2014 campaign in support of Amendment 2, allowing doctors to use marijuana to treat patients with debilitating illnesses filed Thursday a revised version of the initiative.
The revised version had not posted as of Thursday evening at the secretary of state’s web site, which can be viewed here.
Morgan told the Times/Herald he tightened the amendment’s language to require the Department of Health verification of parental consent for a minor to be treated with cannabis; clarified which debilitating conditions are eligible and that doctors are not immune to prosecution for negligence or malpractice and charged DOH with establishing quality standards for caregivers.
Nearly 58 percent of voters supported the original proposal November, short of the 60 percent threshold needed for adoption but a higher percentage than posted by Gov. Rick Scott or any state candidate.
Morgan said he would prefer the legislature would approve a measure rather than having to gather the signatures and mount another campaign for a constitutional amendment but that appears unlikely.
“I have a lot of confidence that Floridians are 100 percent behind moving in this direction, now whether their elected representatives are we will find out,” said Rep. Jeff Clemens Thursday while discussing revising last year’s Charlotte’s Web law beyond low-THC cannabis oil.
