4 MEDICAL MARIJUANA SHOWDOWN

In 20 states and the District of Columbia, medical marijuana has already been decriminalized to treat a wide range of medical conditions such as glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and hepatitis C. In Florida, a battle is brewing between marijuana opponents and proponents as a grassroots effort pushes to make the use of medical marijuana legal in the state.

Personally bankrolling the campaign is Orlando attorney John Morgan, who purports marijuana helped his quadriplegic brother fight neck and head cancer and provided relief for his father who died 25 years ago from cancer and emphysema. The group People United for Medical Marijuana has been championing a petition drive to secure nearly 700,000 confirmed signatures by February to get the issue on the November 2014 ballot. So far, the petition has garnered more than 100,000 signatures, enough to prompt the Florida Supreme Court to review the ballot language of the initiative.

Those supporting the legalization of medical marijuana claim the drug has a variety of therapeutic applications and is less addictive and causes fewer side effects than prescription medications. Proponents also point to CNN doctor Sanjay Gupta, who recently reversed his stance on medical marijuana, stating the drug could have medicinal benefits for some people.

However, staunch opponents believe marijuana is not only addictive and harmful to the body, but it is also a gateway drug that could pave the way for recreational use and the abuse of marijuana and other illicit drugs. Both the Florida Medical Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association are opposed to legalization. The Florida Police Chiefs Association believes legalizing medical marijuana could open up opportunities for abuse, addiction, and crimes related to marijuana use.

Nevertheless, Morgan assures what he is proposing for Florida is a restrictive and tightly regulated system where dispensing to medical doctors would be limited. The drug would only be available for use to seriously ill Floridians who are battling debilitating illnesses.