With just a week until the November 8th election, increasing amounts of endorsements on a series of marijuana policy efforts across nine states are rolling in.
Floridians will soon decide whether or not the state legalizes medical cannabis and institutes a system of licensed dispensaries. There’s plenty of reason to be hopeful, with recent polls showing Florida’s Amendment 2 above 70%, but anything can happen in the final days (meaning spread the word and VOTE).
To help add to the momentum, United for Care, the group behind Amendment 2, recently published a list of over 100 medical professionals to its website.
According to the group, the list includes “practicing physicians, retired physicians, ER nurses, home-health nurses, clinical psychologists and other medical professionals from throughout Florida.”
“Our opposition has, for years, made the false claim that medical professionals are against medical marijuana and Amendment 2″, says Ben Pollara, Campaign Manager for United for Care.
“In fact, there is a large number of medical professionals and associations that are openly supporting medical marijuana and want this to pass. Many, many others support the measure and are not ready to comment publicly, as this first group has.”
Pollara continues, “It is also the opinion of virtually all of the editorial boards of major Florida newspapers, and of the Florida legislature, which has passed two laws clearly acknowledging marijuana as medicine.”
Here is the full list of medical professionals that have endorsed Florida’s Amendment 2:
- Andrew E. Hano, DO., St Petersburg, Hematology-oncology
- Anthony J. Hall, MDCM, FACS, FAANS., Lauderhill, neurological surgery
- Richard Sabates, Delray Beach, Family medicine and pain management
- Jose Foradada, Tampa, Pediatric Neurology Specialist
- David Duncan, Cape Coral, Paramedic
- Jose A. Colindres, Broward/Palm Beach County, Pediatrician and Neonatologist
- Abner Martin Landry III, Largo, MD, FACR, Interventional Pain Specialist
- Jeffrey Kamlet, MD., Miami, Addiction Specialist
- Bernard Cantor, MD., Weston, Gynecology and Obstetrics (retired)
- Selim Benbadis, Tampa, Neurologist and Neurosurgeon
- Gregory Gerdeman, PhD., St Pete, Biology and Pharmacology
- Juan Sanchez-Ramos, Tampa, Neurologist
- Anne Morgan, MD., Palm Beach Gardens, Family Medicine
- Clifford Selsky, Ph.D., MD., Orlando, Palliative Care Pediatrician and Pediatric Oncology and Hematology
- Jeffrey Milley, St. Pete Beach, Registered Pharmacist
- Joseph Rosado, MD., Sanford, Primary Care Physician
- Kathryn Limper, Tampa, RN BSN
- Sasha Parker, Fort Lauderdale, Nurse
- Nicole Tracey, Fort Myers, RN OCN
- John H. Merey, MD., West Palm Beach, Ophthalmologist
- Ray Bellamy, MD., Tallahassee, Orthopedic Surgeon
- Carol L. Roberts, MD., Tampa, Integrative Medicine ABIHM
- Stephen Blythe, Melbourne, Family Physician
- Kathryn Lotspeich Villano, MD., Miami, Internal Medicine (retired)
- Jason Sturtsman,Vero Beach, B.A.E., Ed.S., School Psychologist
- César Rexach, Kissimmee, RN, MSN., Health Care Education
- Silvia Betancor, MD., Miami, Internal medicine
- Brenda Valdez, Live Oak, RN, Home Health
- Luis Galano-Lavin, Palm Coast, Family Medicine/Urgent Care
- Maria McConchie, Fort Lauderdale, Nurse Anesthetist
- Debbie Johnson, Orlando, RN, CHPN, Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse, Education
- Caroline Faxas, Hallandale, Board Certified Acupuncture Physician, Herbalist
- Tracy Christian, Palm Beach, Compounding Pharmacist, Pharmacy Owner
- Robert H Dudley, MD., Delray Beach, palliative and hospice care
- Ike Okeke, Tampa, Pharmacist
- Tammy Lettieri, Deerfield Beach,Physical Therapist
- Jonathan King, Jacksonville,RN
- Michelle Weiner, DO, MPH., Hollywood, Interventional Pain management / physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Megan King, Jacksonville ,RN
- Lisa Otero, Altamonte Springs , RN,
- Jeanne DeSilver, Jacksonville ,RN Retired,
- David Berger, MD., FAAP., Pediatrician, Owner and Medical Director, Wholistic Pediatrics and Family Care
- Elsie Eten, Safety Harbor, RN Retired,
- Linda Claassen, Deland, Hospice RN,
- Michael Bean, Melbourne, RN, CEN,
- Michelle Lynn Collier, RPh., Winter Garden, Clinical pharmacist
- Michael Dziubek, Sarasota, RN
- Terri P. Kelly, Tarpon Springs, RN, Oncology Research Auditor
- James F. Jones, Amelia Island, Acupuncture Physician
- Diane Loo, Miami, RN, Certified Wound Care Nurse
- Dennis Howard, Venice, Retired RN 03’, Critical Care Nurse
- Shannon Perez, Coral Gables, RN, Critical Care Nurse
- Marty Landy, Largo, MD FACR
- Patrick Criss, Kennesaw, GA., D.C., B.S. (Licensed In Florida and Georgia)
- Richard Bolin, Eustis, ER RN
- Anthony M. Walker, Hollywood, R.N.
- Don Vliegenthart, Melbourne, Nonoperative Orthopedics and Pain Management
- Clyde Pence, Pensacola, Nephrologist
- Robert V. Siegel, Fort Walton Beach ,General Physician
- Kathaleen Davis, Ft. Myers, Psychiatric Nurse, Certified Hospice and Wound Care
- Leonarda Duran,MD, Miami, Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist
- J.D. Gold, PhD., Summerfield, Clinical Psychologist
- Scott Nations, Largo, Registered ER Nurse
- Elizabeth Kostelnick, Crystal River, RN
- Geena Palank, Stuart, RN BSN
- Michelle Backus, Sebring, RN
- Sasha Parker, Fort Lauderdale, RN/Educational Director Esthetic Skin Institute
- Liva Jacobs, Miami, RN
- Joy S. Graham, MD., Palm Beach Gardens, Anesthesiologist
- Alisa Fuller, Orlanda, RN BSN
- Maria Medina Capote, MD., Miami, pediatrician
- Jerry Capote, MD., Miami, pediatrician
- Shannon Carnley, Bartow, RN
- Justin Sellers, Orlando, Radiologic Technologist, CT Scan and MRI Certified
- Cesar Rexach, Kissimmee, Retired RN MSN
- Andrew Margileth, Miami, Pediatric Dermatologist
- Charles Montgomery, Lakeland, RN
- Steven Bowman, Clearwater, MD of Internal Medicine
- Donna Lahey, Marathon, Clinical Laboratory Technologist
- Barry Apfel, Boca Raton, Registered pharmacist
- Jonathan Daitch, MD., Fort Myers, Pain management
- Rachel Bjornstad, Pensacola, Medical Technologist
- Nancy Barstow, Venice, RN
- Lawrence Schiffman, DO., FAOCD., Doral, dermatology
- John W. Pate, Fountain ,RN
- Tina McBride, Punta Gorda, RN
- Jim Funk, Gainesville, ARNP (retired)
- Andrew Sutherland, Orlando, Doctor of Chiropractics
- Pam Pirraglia, RN, CCM, CDMS; Nurse Case Manager
- Purvin Shah, DO, Jacksonville, Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine & Critical Care Medicine
- Stephanie Smithgall, Callahan, RN
- Cyndi Christine, Port Orange, RN (retired)
- Yolanda C. Leon, Psy.D., ABPdN – Tampa/Gainesville, Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologist, School Psychologist, Pediatric Neuropsychology
- Justin Davis, M.D., Gainesville, Family practice, alternative and integrative medicine
- Tricia Gibbs, Sarasota, Medical assistant
- Eyad Alsabbag, M.D., Brooksville, Pain management
- Bill Hadley, Tampa, RN
- Valerie Pasqualini, Del ray, RN and risk manager
- Peter A. Radice, MD, FACP, FAAHPM., Tampa, Supportive Oncology, Palliative Care
- Michael Uphues, DO, Naples, Family medicine
- Linda Colindres, St. Pete, RN
- Bruce Alperstein, MD., Milton, internal medicine
