Medical marijuana in Florida seems to be inevitable. Roughly 58% of Florida voters voted for medical marijuana in the last election. Normally that would have been enough of the vote for a huge victory, but Florida requires 60% of the vote to pass a constitutional amendment initiative. That significant level of support has caught the attention of lawmakers in Florida, one of which recently introduced a medical marijuana bill. It’s worth noting that Florida already passed a CBD only bill last session, but that legislation has yet to be implemented, and wouldn’t help that many people even if it does get implemented.
During the 2014 Election, law enforcement helped lead the opposition to medical marijuana, as they often do. But it appears that at least some members of the law enforcement community in Florida support the newly introduced version in the Florida Legislature. Per the Tampa Bay Times:
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, a key opponent to Florida’s medical marijuana amendment, says he could support a new legislative push to legalize pot for patients. And he’s not alone in the law enforcement community.
Gualtieri told the Tampa Bay Times Tuesday that he supports a bill introduced Monday by state Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that would allow a variety of patients to use a number of different marijuana strains.
David Shoar, president of the Florida Sheriff’s Association, said he thinks most county sheriffs will also support the Brandes bill — or something similar — “as long as it is tightly managed.”
Florida patients deserve safe access to medical marijuana. It’s encouraging to see members of law enforcement recognize that fact. Getting law enforcement on board, or at least to just step out of the way, is a significant hurdle in the fight to bring medical marijuana to Florida. If you live in Florida, make sure to contact your elected officials early and often and let them know how you feel.
