The video above features the parents of Elise Hall, a high school junior who died in September 2016 at 17 years of age after a battle with cancer. The advertisement was paid for by People United for Medical Marijuana, a Florida-based political action committee (PAC) seeking to legalize medical marijuana.
While Florida legalized a low-potency strain of cannabis when Governor Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 1030, otherwise known as the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014, the measure only approved usage for a very limited group of patients. Furthermore, the only accepted manners of consumption were pills, oils, or vaporization, as administration by smoking was prohibited.
On Tuesday, voters will decide whether to pass the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2. A 57.62 percent majority voted in favor of the similar Florida Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative in 2014, but the total did not meet the 60 percent supermajority required for an amendment to pass.
The Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014 only made low‐THC cannabis available for patients suffering from cancer, physical medical conditions that chronically produced symptoms of seizures, severe and persistent muscle spasms, or symptoms of the same. The Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative would allow for medical use of marijuana by individuals with debilitating medical conditions as determined by licensed Florida physicians.
A debilitating medical condition is defined as “cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated, and for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.”
Criminal Defense Lawyer for Marijuana Offenses in Miami, FL
Many people who oppose the legalization of recreational marijuana support cannabis being used for medicinal purposes. In addition to reducing chronic pain for people suffering from a number of different ailments, studies have shown cannabis can decrease or prevent symptoms of several other diseases.
Individuals who need marijuana for their medicinal needs do not deserve to face criminal charges. If you or your loved one has been arrested in South Florida for a cannabis-related offense, it is in your best interest to immediately contact a Miami marijuana attorney for help fighting to possibly get the criminal charges reduced or dismissed.