Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

James CallDecember 7, 2014

With apologies to Sir Walter Scott, oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to allow marijuana to be used as medicine. Implementing the Charlotte’s Web medical marijuana legislation is at a standstill and may remain that way for some time. Last month an administrative law judge rejected proposed rules drafted by the Department […]

Peter SchorschDecember 5, 2014

Sen. Aaron Bean is returning as the point man on substantive health care policy in the Senate. He told SaintPetersBlog on Thursday that he’s ready to “get back in the ring” when it comes to balancing technology and health care and that he’s also willing to expand Charlotte’s Web to include other diseases. “Telemedicine is […]

Peter SchorschDecember 5, 2014

Sen. Aaron Bean is returning as the point man on substantive health care policy in the Senate. He told SaintPetersBlog on Thursday that he’s ready to “get back in the ring” when it comes to balancing technology and health care and that he’s also willing to expand Charlotte’s Web to include other diseases. “Telemedicine is […]

Guest AuthorNovember 12, 2014

It is now time to stop calling the effort to legalize medical marijuana “Support Amendment 2.” That amendment to Florida’s Constitution failed, barely. Much has been written about the failure of Amendment 2, the very large personalities that debated and funded both sides, and how the amendment didn’t meet the 60 percent threshold but received […]

Guest AuthorNovember 6, 2014

Now that Amendment 2 on medical marijuana has been defeated and relegated to the trash pile of poorly worded constitutional amendments, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Well, not really. You see, John Morgan, the lawyer who spearheaded the drive to adopt Amendment 2, can’t stay silent even for a nano-minute. It’s just […]

Guest AuthorOctober 24, 2014

This past year has been a real learning curve on the whole topic of medical marijuana. Thanks to a good friend of mine, who is a respected physician, I learned there really are some valid and legitimate medical uses for marijuana. Prior to this, I thought most of the medical marijuana talk was just an […]

Guest AuthorOctober 1, 2014

Barney Bishop’s column in Context Florida opposing Amendment 2 was as rambling and incoherent as it was wrong. One might suspect he’s gotten his hands on some of this “high THC” weed he’s so terrified about. I generally do the sensible thing and ignore Bishop’s paranoid screeds, but his latest missive not only contains the […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 25, 2014

As time goes by, it appears that Amendment 2 is facing serious opposition from likely voters. Though the press has loved quoting a flawed Quinnipiac Poll that showed 88 percent of voters were in support, once pollsters began asking the question as it would appear on the ballot, support has dropped significantly to somewhere between […]

Guest AuthorJuly 30, 2014

Florida has a long-standing rivalry with the other Sunshine State, California. As a proud Floridian myself, I have to say that this Eastside-Westside beef almost always comes down in favor of the East. And as the campaign manager for United for Care — the organization advocating for medical marijuana and the passage of Amendment 2 […]

Guest AuthorJuly 29, 2014

Proponents have argued that Amendment 2 is about providing compassionate care for people who have debilitating symptoms, pain, or are dying. But if compassionate care were what the amendment is only about, then the authors would have specifically cited non-euphoric medical weed in the amendment’s language. That’s why this amendment is a fraud. It’s a […]

Tag: Charlotte’s Web
Jai Alai match at Magic City Casino in 2022. Image via AP.

What is the Department of Health doing about Charlotte's Web?

Aaron Bean’s back, and so is telemedicine and Charlotte’s Web

Aaron Bean's back, and so is telemedicine and Charlotte's Web

Jamie Miller: GOP Legislature should pass a sensible medical marijuana bill

Barney Bishop: Some unsolicited advice for Amendment 2 crusader John Morgan

John Stemberger:  Why I am for medical marijuana but against  Amendment 2

Ben Pollara: One more time, here are the reasons to pass Amendment 2

Barney Bishop: Amendment 2 not needed; we already have Charlotte’s Web

Ben Pollara: Florida can show other states how to regulate medical marijuana

Barney Bishop: Amendment 2 isn’t about medical marijuana; it’s about getting high