Medical marijuana amendment could return in 2016

Author: Mike Walcher
Published:

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Just when you thought you were safe from political ads, it seems like the fight over medical marijuana is making an encore.

The contest to legalize the drug for medical uses fell short at the polls last November, but the battle is likely to play out again in 2016.

Attorney John Morgan announced the new effort a short time ago in Orlando.

Supporters believe they will be able to start collecting signatures as soon as Monday. They’ll need  about 700,000 signatures of registered voters, plus approval from the Supreme Court, to get on the ballot next year.

“We want to give people options for medical treatment and hopefully relieve some peoples’ suffering,” said Ben Pollara with United for Care.

The group is tightening up the language in the new proposed amendment. They believe opponents took advantage of some vague language in the old version, and distorted the issue to their benefit.

Changes in the amendment spell out that minors cannot get the drug, without consent of parent, doctor, and the state.

United for Care also wants to keep the focus on people in pain, not on attorney John Morgan.

“John has said publicly that one of the issues in the last campaign, was that it was too much about him, and not enough about the patients and doctors,” said Pollara. “He’s still the chairman of the campaign and has no intention of stepping down.”

The amendment failed to win approval in 2014, falling 2 percentage points short of the 60 percent needed.

Some people say they’re against medical pot, and another campaign will not convince them otherwise.

The United for Care group believes the amendment did not pass last year because not enough young people voted.

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