Marijuana supporter Morgan not high on older people

[graciegirl]

Just heard his obscenity laced rant on the news at eleven against those who he felt defeated the recent vote on medical marijuana. Using the F bomb and other colorful terms he said that "people over 75 don't know the difference between marijuana, LSD and Heroin and they will all be dead before the next election."

Didn't win my sympathy.

[KathieI]

Just heard his obscenity laced rant on the news at eleven against those who he felt defeated the recent vote on medical marijuana. Using the F bomb and other colorful terms he said that "people over 75 don't know the difference between marijuana, LSD and Heroin and they will all be dead before the next election."

Didn't win my sympathy.

Agree, his entire press conference was very offensive, I've never been impressed with him and his commercials to obtain votes were also dumb. No wonder they didn't get passed.

[DougB]

Just heard his obscenity laced rant on the news at eleven against those who he felt defeated the recent vote on medical marijuana. Using the F bomb and other colorful terms he said that "people over 75 don't know the difference between marijuana, LSD and Heroin and they will all be dead before the next election."

Didn't win my sympathy.

Just heard it on the news at eleven?

[graciegirl]

Just heard it on the news at eleven?


Doug BEE. My Circadian Rhythm is disturbed due to the time change. It was WESH2 News at Ten.

No matter what time it was, he was pickin' on Seniors. Not wise. Me and the posse, don'tchaknow?

[manaboutown]

Just another drugee tirade. Yawn. I'll bet he had a "medical" marijuana business all set up and ready to go and was already counting the millions of dollars that would roll in. Oh well...

[KathieI]

Just another drugee tirade. Yawn. I'll bet he had a "medical" marijuana business all set up and ready to go and was already counting the millions of dollars that would roll in. Oh well...

you got that right!!!! hee hee hee!!

[NotGolfer]

Gracie....he sounds like a real "class act"...what a scumbag!! Let's see how he feels when he gets nearer to 75 and then we'll ask him the hard questions!

[Indydealmaker]

From what I have read here on TOTV, I am not sure that he is right about seniors voting against the weed bill.

[tippyclubb]

I'm relieved the pot bill did not pass. Driving the roundabouts is challenging enough for some sober people. I don't want to think about being on the road with people leaving the squares intoxicated AND SMOKING POT. It would be a disaster waiting to happen.

[blueash]

From what I have read here on TOTV, I am not sure that he is right about seniors voting against the weed bill.

Google can help when you are not sure:

Every age group younger than 65 voted yes at the required 60% pass rate.

In The Villages precincts the No vote was over 60%.

Precincts - Election Night Reporting (http://enr.electionsfl.org/SUM/Precincts/1174/4069)

So in the Villages where the age certainly skews toward the older voter Mr. Morgan's statement is clearly correct. For Sumter County alone the Amendment failed by 10,000 votes. For the entire state it failed by 150,000 votes.

[graciegirl]

Google can help when you are not sure:

Every age group younger than 65 voted yes at the required 60% pass rate.

In The Villages precincts the No vote was over 60%.

Precincts - Election Night Reporting (http://enr.electionsfl.org/SUM/Precincts/1174/4069)

So in the Villages where the age certainly skews toward the older voter Mr. Morgan's statement is clearly correct. For Sumter County alone the Amendment failed by 10,000 votes. For the entire state it failed by 150,000 votes.

Well that settles that, except for the nasty part that we would all be dead before the next election.

Perhaps you can help with some other research that I can't find the answer to. Would his paraplegic brother medically benefit from medical marijuana? Does pot stop seizures? Has it been proven to medically help a person with central nervous system damage? Can marijuana be prescribed by a M.D. now?

Mayo Clinic says it can help with elevated eye pressure in Glaucoma, help Multiple Sclerosis and relieve chronic pain. Can it be legally prescribed here in Florida for those conditions?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/marijuana/background/hrb-20059701ys

[blueash]

GG The answers to all your medical questions would be, the data is not yet complete but that there are suggestive and often too anecdotal reports of benefits. It surely helps some specific rare pediatric seizure types. There is good evidence for CNS alterations from pot, that is why people use it. For any specific patient whether those alterations would be beneficial would be best settled by trying it. But it is illegal. I cannot usefully speculate if it would have helped his brother but from what I understand the standard available medications did not.

As to whether it can be legally prescribed for the conditions supported by Mayo's website.. NO and that is what this was all about.

105 Peer-Reviewed Studies on Marijuana - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000884)
Here is a list of 105 studies of marijuana in various forms with some data.
As of now 1/2 the states allow medical marijuana and a few allow recreational marijuana.

Here is the list (prior to this year's votes) on the states and the specific details of their laws as to what conditions and requirements must be met for medical marijuana.
23 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881)

[graciegirl]

...

[memason]

Maybe I'm missing something about "Medical" marijuana...

Medical marijuana has the THC removed and is NOT smoked, nor do you get "high" from it. It's also prescribed by a Dr. Seems to me that voting against "medical marijuana" is no different than voting against any other prescription medication.

I did not see the piece with Mr. Morgan... But, I have talked to people about this subject and they were definitely voting NO! They had no reason other than it was marijuana...no research, nothing. They hear the word MARIJUANA and immediately envision their Grandkids cruising Sunset Blvd. with Cheech and Chong!

So, in the end, marijuana is a victim of it's own name. IF this medication had be called pfizhandioumin, with the associated 3 paragraphs of warnings and side effects, it would be a no brainer...

Just my 2 cents on this subject...

[graciegirl]

Maybe I'm missing something about "Medical" marijuana...

Medical marijuana has the THC removed and is NOT smoked, nor do you get "high" from it. It's also prescribed by a Dr. Seems to me that voting against "medical marijuana" is no different than voting against any other prescription medication.

I did not see the piece with Mr. Morgan... But, I have talked to people about this subject and they were definitely voting NO! They had no reason other than it was marijuana...no research, nothing. They hear the word MARIJUANA and immediately envision their Grandkids cruising Sunset Blvd. with Cheech and Chong!

So, in the end, marijuana is a victim of it's own name. IF this medication had be called pfizhandioumin, with the associated 3 paragraphs of warnings and side effects, it would be a no brainer...

Just my 2 cents on this subject...

Mike. It appeared that it would not be prescribed, rather over the counter.

I just like to call it what it is...which appeared to be recreational pot.

Did you get it would be prescribed by a medical person, Mike?

[rubicon]

Maybe I'm missing something about "Medical" marijuana...

Medical marijuana has the THC removed and is NOT smoked, nor do you get "high" from it. It's also prescribed by a Dr. Seems to me that voting against "medical marijuana" is no different than voting against any other prescription medication.

I did not see the piece with Mr. Morgan... But, I have talked to people about this subject and they were definitely voting NO! They had no reason other than it was marijuana...no research, nothing. They hear the word MARIJUANA and immediately envision their Grandkids cruising Sunset Blvd. with Cheech and Chong!

So, in the end, marijuana is a victim of it's own name. IF this medication had be called pfizhandioumin, with the associated 3 paragraphs of warnings and side effects, it would be a no brainer...

Just my 2 cents on this subject...

Hi memason: The termed Charlotte's web was an oil extract from marijuana that had no high effect. I am not certain of its efficacy but support that type of study PROVIDED its use is strictly monitored so society does not end up with another opoid problem.

Morgan in my personal view is not a very nice individual and he catered to groups of people who really wanted this bill passed as an advance to recreational marijuana. If you read the definition of a care giver in the now defeated Amendment 2 a drug dealer could qualify.

[getdul981]

I remember from Morgan's ads before the election that his brother was helped from using marijuana. I also remember from a prior commercial that the brother in question works at the Morgan Law firm. Does this brother get his marijuaha legally? I think not!! I think Morgan is trying to legitimize his brother's illegal activity.

[Bogie Shooter]

I'm relieved the pot bill did not pass. Driving the roundabouts is challenging enough for some sober people. I don't want to think about being on the road with people leaving the squares intoxicated AND SMOKING POT. It would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Do you really believe that there are not drivers on pot now using the roundabouts?

[Rags123]

Maybe I'm missing something about "Medical" marijuana...

Medical marijuana has the THC removed and is NOT smoked, nor do you get "high" from it. It's also prescribed by a Dr. Seems to me that voting against "medical marijuana" is no different than voting against any other prescription medication.

I did not see the piece with Mr. Morgan... But, I have talked to people about this subject and they were definitely voting NO! They had no reason other than it was marijuana...no research, nothing. They hear the word MARIJUANA and immediately envision their Grandkids cruising Sunset Blvd. with Cheech and Chong!

So, in the end, marijuana is a victim of it's own name. IF this medication had be called pfizhandioumin, with the associated 3 paragraphs of warnings and side effects, it would be a no brainer...

Just my 2 cents on this subject...

I am about to show my ignorance on this so bear with me. I have been exposed to marijuana years ago, never partook but am aware.....but...

1, If THC is removed, then the drug they want to legalize for medical reasons is NOT marijuana any longer....is that right ? Why then do they look for approval for MARIJUANA ?

2. Are there not already similiar drugs allowed for prescription that do bascilly the same thing as marijuana that are in fact THC based ? So why is marijuana so vital ? Seems to me, it is a gateway for recreational use but not sure about that.

3. Keep reading about law enforcement in Colorado speaking up on the ills of legalizing marijuana..this being the latest.....Colorado police chief visits Roanoke, talks about legalization of recreational marijuana Colorado police chief visits Roanoke, talks about legalization of recreational marijuana | Local News - WDBJ7.com Central and Southwest VA (http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/colorado-police-chief-visits-roanoke-talks-about-legalization-of-recreational-marijuana/29509872)

I guess for me, I just ask why this country with all its problems, drugs included, would want to make this legal and allow our young people to get used to being high artificially . To me, at this point, we just seem to keep feeding the mantra of self absorption at the risk of a future large problem.

Be gentle, I admittely know very little, but legislating marijuana, to me, is so far down the chain of what this country needs I just find a lot of this stuff to be so trite.

[leftyf]

I voted NO because I saw what it did to my home state of Michigan.

[Topspinmo]

IMO weed no different than alcohol. How many people are driving around after happy hour? Like 70%? At least on weed low percentage of road rage? Nobody else can can control someone else's drug intake habit, yes alcohol drug IMO cause it alter's the mind and increase the chance by 600% you will do something stupid if you can't control your intake. Plenty of recent examples of that making headline news.

And no I don't do drugs and NEVER have.

[graciegirl]

Do you really believe that there are not drivers on pot now using the roundabouts?


NO. I DO believe it. When Quirky3 did that poll on people for and against recreational marijuana, I was shocked.

Now when I hug my friends here, I give them a good sniff test.

They think I have chronic sinusitis.

[PennBF]

Those who have read my previous notes on this subject will know that I am 100% against making pot legal. I know the need for it for relief from some medical pain. I have a sister who had a 28 year old daughter who was a Captain in the Army, (Attorney) and she died of a brain tumor at Walter Reed Hospital. This was about 15-20 years ago and my sister, at some risk bought pot for her on the streets of Washington, DC. The reason it is not legal today is because of thure alleged corrupt and lousy Doctors who give prescriptions to anyone who say they are in pain in order to get it to get high. They are the ones who should be tried for mal practice since they have ruined some real needs for the drug. You have to have yo head in the sand not to know that is a serious problem. In order for some states to authorize it for those that have a real need they allegedly give it to all who will end up as addicts. Welcome to the portion of the medical profession who are allegedly corrupted and want more money than to live up to what they swore to. Yes, the younger part of our population will vote in favor as they are the same ones who want to have a high or a part of the "hand out" society we have become and they are addicted to. It is unfortunate that the profession that is to protect us has lost their way. :mad:

[bimmertl]

Seniors don't really see a need for medical marijuana since they have alcohol and existing prescription drugs to medicate themselves.

The Quiet Epidemic of Senior Drug Abuse (http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/1-22-2014-quiet-epidemic-senior-drug-abuse/)

[SALYBOW]

Had I remembered where I was to vote I would have voted against this legalization of medical marijuana. I do know the difference between the various drugs since I was a high school teacher and we made it our business to know.
I desperately believe it should be available for legitimate medical usuages as I saw the benefits when I treated people for cancer. I was against this particular amemendant because the wording was so nebulous. It was not written to included only the conditions which it would benefit but it was written so most people could get any amount of it anytime. It needs to be tightened up as to dosage, etc.
That being said, when my son was living down here for 8 months, he said that he was offered pot by many Villagers (i.e., OLD PEOPLE) who smoked it. The servers he worked with even told him where they all go to smoke it.
Sometimes we mistake the Bubbleness of TV for a real buble around us. If a person smoked pot or did drugs before they came, they would not likely quit because they came here.
I personally do not believe in using mind altering substances of any kind, but from the proponderance of liquor stores, we can assume Villagers use alcohol which I hate worse than pot use. I was raised by an alcoholic! Very NOT NICE.:22yikes:

[JoMar]

I have two acquaintances that were prescribed MM in CA....one eventually passed away and the other is still hanging on. Both exhausted the FDA approved drugs and none did any good. The MM greatly improved their quality of life. I suspect that sooner or later their will be a regulated product for MM but in the meantime, those that find it helps their conditions will also find a way to get marijuana through illegal sources and continue to fuel the illegal drug commerce. Seems that we went through this once before when the public found a way to obtain recreational alcohol........in fact, we still have recreational alcohol available.....which leads to alcoholism (addiction), disease and the unnecessary slaughter of our friends, family's and friends on both the highways and during moments of rage. I think the experiments in CO and WA will reveal that there is a ton of money that can be made by government through taxation and attitudes might then change.

[sunnyatlast]

It's quite open to abuse by recreational users in CA. Note the terms "recommendation or approval" of a physician (not a "prescription").

"Although the Compassionate Use Act allows the use of medical marijuana by a patient upon the recommendation or approval of a physician, California physicians should bear in mind that marijuana is listed in Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act, which means that it has no accepted medical use under federal law.

However, in Conant v. Walters (9th Cir.2002) F.3d 629 the United States Court of Appeals recognized that physicians have a constitutionally-protected right to discuss medical marijuana as a treatment option with their patients and make oral or written recommendation for medical marijuana. However, the court cautioned that physicians could exceed the scope of this constitutional protection if they conspire with, or aid and abet, their patients in obtaining medical marijuana.
Medical Marijuana | Medical Board of California (http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensees/Prescribing/Medical_Marijuana.aspx)

Why the federal government classifies marijuana like heroin

"To initiate a schedule, the DEA first asks if a drug can be abused. If the answer is yes, then it's put on a schedule. If no, the drug is left out. After that, the drug's relative potential for abuse and medical value are evaluated to decide where on the scale it lands.

The two big issues, then, are a drug's potential for abuse and medical value. Congress did not clearly define abuse under the Controlled Substances Act. But for federal agencies responsible for classifying drugs, abuse is when individuals take a substance on their own initiative and develop personal health hazards or pose other risks to society as a whole.

To find medical value, a drug must have large-scale clinical trials to back it up — similar to what the Food and Drug Administration would expect from any other drug entering the market.

There are five schedules: schedule 1 drugs are determined to have high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, while schedule 5 drugs are considered to have low potential for abuse and some medical value.

Some examples of the drugs that are on each schedule:

Schedule 1: marijuana, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and magic mushrooms.

Schedule 2: cocaine, meth, oxycodone, Adderall, Ritalin, and Vicodin……"

Why the federal government classifies marijuana like heroin - Vox (http://www.vox.com/2014/8/7/5967239/marijuana-legalization-drug-schedule-DEA-FDA-HHS)

[Barefoot]

I suspect that sooner or later their will be a regulated product for MM but in the meantime, those that find it helps their conditions will also find a way to get marijuana through illegal sources and continue to fuel the illegal drug commerce. Seems that we went through this once before when the public found a way to obtain recreational alcohol........in fact, we still have recreational alcohol available.....which leads to alcoholism (addiction), disease and the unnecessary slaughter of our friends, family's and friends on both the highways and during moments of rage. I think the experiments in CO and WA will reveal that there is a ton of money that can be made by government through taxation and attitudes might then change.

I would like to see MM available, but only with a doctor's prescription.

[janmcn]

I have two acquaintances that were prescribed MM in CA....one eventually passed away and the other is still hanging on. Both exhausted the FDA approved drugs and none did any good. The MM greatly improved their quality of life. I suspect that sooner or later their will be a regulated product for MM but in the meantime, those that find it helps their conditions will also find a way to get marijuana through illegal sources and continue to fuel the illegal drug commerce. Seems that we went through this once before when the public found a way to obtain recreational alcohol........in fact, we still have recreational alcohol available.....which leads to alcoholism (addiction), disease and the unnecessary slaughter of our friends, family's and friends on both the highways and during moments of rage. I think the experiments in CO and WA will reveal that there is a ton of money that can be made by government through taxation and attitudes might then change.


And now you can add Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia to the list that voted to allow recreational marijuana, in addition to the 23 states that now allow medical marijuana. Fifty-seven percent voted in favor in Florida, unfortunately that fell just short of the sixty percent required.

[gerryann]

I voted NO because I saw what it did to my home state of Michigan.

What were the downfalls of MM in Michigan?

[Rags123]

And now you can add Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia to the list that voted to allow recreational marijuana, in addition to the 23 states that now allow medical marijuana. Fifty-seven percent voted in favor in Florida, unfortunately that fell just short of the sixty percent required.

Perhaps my old age speaking, but allowing a mind altering drug to be available to people, especially after our lecturing on cigarette smoking is patently unfair to our grandchildren. We applaud the warnings on cigarettes, and dismiss those on this drug. Makes very little sense to me.

Adding to that, as I said earlier , from my reading, there are already drugs to be prescribed to allow the same effects as medical marijuana. So it seems this is just a step to make young people even more dependent on ARTIFICIAL highs and become even more self absorbed.

[gerryann]

I would like to see MM available, but only with a doctor's prescription.

I agree ! If it can improve the quality of life for folks and children in pain....seizure, etc. I don't think folks understand that the "bad stuff" that they all remember from the 60's is removed. It is a pill and far, far safer than OxyContin and other narcotics. I think folks are just frightened by what they remember from years ago.....it is different folks!!! And needed. Someone else said they don't want it to turn into what happened in Michigan. I hope they elaborate on what negatives can happen.

[gerryann]

Perhaps my old age speaking, but allowing a mind altering drug to be available to people, especially after our lecturing on cigarette smoking is patently unfair to our grandchildren. We applaud the warnings on cigarettes, and dismiss those on this drug. Makes very little sense to me.

Adding to that, as I said earlier , from my reading, there are already drugs to be prescribed to allow the same effects as medical marijuana. So it seems this is just a step to make young people even more dependent on ARTIFICIAL highs and become even more self absorbed.

This is NOT mind altering. The THC is removed!!!! We are NOT talking recreational Marijuana here!!

[Rags123]

This is NOT mind altering. The THC is removed!!!! We are NOT talking recreational Marijuana here!!

As I asked before, knowing I am not that smart...

1. If the THC is removed, then it is not marijuana any longer..correct, and why then call it that if not trying to make it more acceptable later.

2. I have read, and surely am open to anyone who know better.....that there are other drugs to be prescribed to give the same result, and in fact are THC based, so why this move

I am confuse...imagine the kids...do not smoke, but smoke pot to feel good.

And my comments for the most part were aimed at the post that seemed to be happy and support RECREATIONAL use.

[graciegirl]

This is NOT mind altering. The THC is removed!!!! We are NOT talking recreational Marijuana here!!

Don't think it is a pill. Think it is grass. Please show me proof.

[Indydealmaker]

Don't think it is a pill. Think it is grass. Please show me proof.

I have read where the plant has been modified to be non-hallucinogenic, but I suspect that it would be difficult to tell one from another.

Medical marijuana CAN be provided to legitimate patients but no agency in our state or federal governments is capable of minimizing abuses.

[manaboutown]

OK, I got curious. This John Morgan fellow has quite a history. It is a wonder he was allowed to continue practicing law after this 1997 little DUI, assaulting an officer episode. Orlandoweekly.com - NEWS+FEATURES: Attorney's arrest has battery included (http://www2.orlandoweekly.com/news/story.asp?id=252)

He had a prior DUI in 1993 and of course being a trial attorney supports his financial interests politically. http://drrichswier.com/2014/09/03/know-real-john-morgan-charlies-crists-alter-ego/

He appears to be a total sleaze ball.

[PennBF]

It is an old argument that alcohol is worst than pot. Usually only used by those that want a better high than alcohol. Who the heck ever said alcohol was good for you? Kind of an old stupid argument. I would vote tomorrow in favor of pot if there were serious consequences for Doctors who provide perscriptions to those who are not using for pain. Unfortunately there are allegedly too many doctors that have no understanding of this "gateway" [this should get some pot users upset] drug or care about the impact it actually has on society and the youth. Those who are so selfish they would destroy the lives of our youth in order to get a 1/2 hour high. Between those that want to escape reality through drugging their minds or those who just want more money and would prescribe this awful drug for a few dollars it should be voted down. What is needed are very strict and consequences for these people and then allow it for those that really need it for "medical purposes". :police:

[graciegirl]

GerryAnn, we hardly ever disagree but I think this shows that it isn't a pill nor is it modified (the last part is Maybe).

Slideshow: Medical Marijuana (http://www.webmd.com/brain/ss/slideshow-medical-marijuana)

If

[graciegirl]

OK, I got curious. This John Morgan fellow has quite a history. It is a wonder he was allowed to continue practicing law after this 1997 little DUI, assaulting an officer episode. Orlandoweekly.com - NEWS+FEATURES: Attorney's arrest has battery included (http://www2.orlandoweekly.com/news/story.asp?id=252)

He had a prior DUI in 1993 and of course being a trial attorney supports his financial interests politically. Exposed: Do you know the real John B. Morgan, Charlie Crist's alter ego? - Dr. Rich Swier (http://drrichswier.com/2014/09/03/know-real-john-morgan-charlies-crists-alter-ego/)

He appears to be a total sleaze ball.

Good research, manabouttown!

[sunnyatlast]

From National Institute on Drug Abuse:

"The term “medical marijuana” is generally used to refer to the whole unprocessed marijuana plant or its crude extracts, which are not recognized or approved as medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

But scientific study of the active chemicals in marijuana, called cannabinoids, has led to the development of two FDA-approved medications already, and is leading to the development of new pharmaceuticals that harness the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids while minimizing or eliminating the harmful side effects (including the “high”) produced by eating or smoking marijuana leaves….."

An FDA-approved drug called Dronabinol (Marinol®) contains THC and is used to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy and wasting disease (extreme weight loss) caused by AIDS. Another FDA-approved drug called Nabilone (Cesamet®) contains a synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC and is used for the same purposes.

A drug called Sativex®, which contains approximately equal parts THC and CBD, is currently approved in the UK and several European countries to treat spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis (MS), and it is now in Phase III clinical trials in the U.S. to establish its effectiveness and safety in treating cancer pain….."

DrugFacts: Is Marijuana Medicine? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine)

Proponents of "medical marijuana" are NOT demanding prescriptions for the FDA approved prescription drugs listed above. They want the WEED…..as a back-door way of having it legal for recreational use!

[mulligan]

Just another drugee tirade. Yawn. I'll bet he had a "medical" marijuana business all set up and ready to go and was already counting the millions of dollars that would roll in. Oh well...

My thought exactly !! If he was really all that concerned about his brother, move him to Colorado.

[Rags123]

From National Institute on Drug Abuse:

"The term “medical marijuana” is generally used to refer to the whole unprocessed marijuana plant or its crude extracts, which are not recognized or approved as medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

But scientific study of the active chemicals in marijuana, called cannabinoids, has led to the development of two FDA-approved medications already, and is leading to the development of new pharmaceuticals that harness the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids while minimizing or eliminating the harmful side effects (including the “high”) produced by eating or smoking marijuana leaves….."

An FDA-approved drug called Dronabinol (Marinol®) contains THC and is used to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy and wasting disease (extreme weight loss) caused by AIDS. Another FDA-approved drug called Nabilone (Cesamet®) contains a synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC and is used for the same purposes.

A drug called Sativex®, which contains approximately equal parts THC and CBD, is currently approved in the UK and several European countries to treat spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis (MS), and it is now in Phase III clinical trials in the U.S. to establish its effectiveness and safety in treating cancer pain….."

DrugFacts: Is Marijuana Medicine? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine)

Thank you.

So "medical marijuana" in a sense already exists.

Why then this move to make it available when the results are already available ?
It is very confusing to me, and I am cynical..rightfully or wrongly..that this is just another movement who climbed onto the moving train of movements in the last few years.

I am unconvinced, when speaking of recreational use of ANY positives on something that will alter your mind (different for every person I understand, which even makes it scarier) and has so many side things associated with it.

Creating artificial highs to knock down arrests or cut law enforcement costs makes no sense to me. We have a sufficient number of people who are absorbed in making themselves feel good. I still cannot fathom explaining this to kids at all. Do not you dare smoke...it is not good for you. But do light up that weed..it will make you forget...well, it will just make you forget.

[mickey100]

I'm relieved the pot bill did not pass. Driving the roundabouts is challenging enough for some sober people. I don't want to think about being on the road with people leaving the squares intoxicated AND SMOKING POT. It would be a disaster waiting to happen.

It was all about medical marijuana. Do you really think sick people are going to be smoking pot and then running down to the square to do some dancing and driving?

[PennBF]

If you want to avoid reality, put others at risk on the road, put the youth at risk with children who have multiple birth defects, pay for drug rehabs after 15-20% of pot users have become serious addict(s) of this and other drugs like meth, coke, etc.etc. embarrase yourself, act stupid, maybe get arrested, etc. then by all means move to a state that permits you these options and stay away from our fine and good community. Please don't bring any of these to The Villages and I only hope if you get caught the consequences are big and even cause you to move. I have no sympthy for anyone who put the kids at risk or others because they want to get high and avoid reality. I do have sympthy for those that are seriously ill and that pot may help them avoid some of the pain that goes with their illmess. One is a need and the other is a disgrace.:police:

[Wandatime]

My sister had terminal lung cancer. Pot helped her with the almost unbearable pain and boosted her appetite a little. If you have ever watched someone suffer the way I saw her suffer, and you knew pot would help them, it would be inhumane to deny it to them. Here she is with her kids long before cancer entered their lives. Clearly not a doper.

[Sandtrap328]

My sister had terminal lung cancer. Pot helped her with the almost unbearable pain and boosted her appetite a little. If you have ever watched someone suffer the way I saw her suffer, and you knew pot would help them, it would be inhumane to deny it to them. Here she is with her kids long before cancer entered their lives. Clearly not a doper.

I voted "yes" for people like your sister. Too bad the narrow minds of Florida won out.

[janmcn]

I voted "yes" for people like your sister. Too bad the narrow minds of Florida won out.

Well said Sandtrap. I voted "yes" also for people like Wandatime's sister and John Morgan's brother. I agree with John Morgan, esquire.

[sunnyatlast]

My sister had terminal lung cancer. Pot helped her with the almost unbearable pain and boosted her appetite a little. If you have ever watched someone suffer the way I saw her suffer, and you knew pot would help them, it would be inhumane to deny it to them. Here she is with her kids long before cancer entered their lives. Clearly not a doper.

Good testimonial for a person who suffered and needed the relief. Very sorry you have this sad story to recount.

For our learning, how (in what form) did she consume the pot?

[PennBF]

I also witnessed a Niece who had a brain tumor and pot really helped relieve her pain, also her father a Dentist developed a brain tumor about 4-5 years after she died. I have great sympthy for those that truly need it for pain. I have no feeling for those that want to abuse it and/or get Doctors to fake perscriptions so they can bring it to the general public. My thoughts go out to those suffering and I only hope we can find a way to control it's use. We also have to think of the under 21 crowd who when using bring potentially terible problems to the unborn or the one that is subject to addition and it causes them to renew their addictions. In the case of the niece my sister went out at night in Washington, DC and got it on the black market from dealers. It is the junkies and the loose Dr's who are stopping the usage for the sick. :mad:

[JoMar]

Perhaps my old age speaking, but allowing a mind altering drug to be available to people, especially after our lecturing on cigarette smoking is patently unfair to our grandchildren. We applaud the warnings on cigarettes, and dismiss those on this drug. Makes very little sense to me.

Adding to that, as I said earlier , from my reading, there are already drugs to be prescribed to allow the same effects as medical marijuana. So it seems this is just a step to make young people even more dependent on ARTIFICIAL highs and become even more self absorbed.

I find it interesting that marijuana is considered a mind altering drug. Those that have medical conditions that can be helped aren't the younger generation...it is our generation. Cigarettes have carcinogens which are present in the tobacco plant, marijuana doesn't. Comparing the two is apples and oranges but I guess that is what we do when we reach old age and generalizations are easier. I would ask the poster what what he do if the prescribed drugs don't ease the pain and suffering of either himself for a loved one. Do we then let the Dr prescribe codeine or other habit forming drugs to dull the pain and suffering? Do we believe that is ok because it is prescribed by a Dr.even though those drugs are extremely addictive. And, I don't think the younger generation, our kids and grand kids are interested in Medical Marijuana. If they want recreational marijuana I'm sure they know where they can get it in their neighborhood.

[Mikeod]

I believe many who voted against this proposed amendment understand that it can help patients with severe conditions, but have concerns about the propsal. My concern with it was the apparent lack of controls. Where were the regulations over who can prescribe, what training/licensing/certification is required, what conditions qualify and for how long? Do we require trials with "standard" medications before it can be prescribed?

Regulations regarding controlled pharmaceuticals are being tightened more and more. Medical marijuana should be no different. Adequate controls and regulations should be in place prior to approval, not after. It is much harder to put the genie back in the bottle than releasing it.

[manaboutown]

Cigarettes have carcinogens which are present in the tobacco plant, marijuana doesn't.

Actually cannabis smoke contains at least 50 of the carcinogens contained in tobacco smoke. Does smoking cannabis cause cancer? | Cancer Research UK (http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/cancer-questions/does-smoking-cannabis-cause-cancer)


BTW, I am all for whatever it takes to help alleviate the pain in terminally ill cancer patients, those seeking some relief from glaucoma and people experiencing terrible pain that cannot otherwise be satisfactorily alleviated. The problem with "medical" marijuana use is sleaze bag entrepreneurs find their way around poorly written laws. That is happening right now in several states. Certain doctors grant "patients" medical marijuana prescriptions because they are allegedly experiencing some contrived but unproven "pain". I know a few situations among people of my acquaintance. They are just stoners playing the game to get their weed.

Furthermore there is big money in the medical marijuana business. Guess why those pushing the legislation want it so badly?

[patfla06]

I cannot stand John Morgan.
Living in Tampa I've had his commercials up to my eyeballs.
Unfortunately he has commercials here too!

Most of us would agree that people with illnesses and those
terminally ill should be able to use anything that eases pain.
But Amendment 2 was not just about that and that's why it
was defeated.

We already have had numerous drunken driving wrong-way
accidents on our highways! Do we need people high now too???

[TheVillageChicken]

Based on the large amount of misinformation I have seen in this thread, I think some folks need to read the failed amendment vs buying into what the advocates on both sides had to say on TV.

[Rags123]

I find it interesting that marijuana is considered a mind altering drug. Those that have medical conditions that can be helped aren't the younger generation...it is our generation. Cigarettes have carcinogens which are present in the tobacco plant, marijuana doesn't. Comparing the two is apples and oranges but I guess that is what we do when we reach old age and generalizations are easier. I would ask the poster what what he do if the prescribed drugs don't ease the pain and suffering of either himself for a loved one. Do we then let the Dr prescribe codeine or other habit forming drugs to dull the pain and suffering? Do we believe that is ok because it is prescribed by a Dr.even though those drugs are extremely addictive. And, I don't think the younger generation, our kids and grand kids are interested in Medical Marijuana. If they want recreational marijuana I'm sure they know where they can get it in their neighborhood.

First, I really hate to be painted as you painted me..."old age"...and using generalizations to make it easy.

I have been asking through out this thread, and got a reply....I have read that there are drugs that can be prescribed that will do EXACTLY what you advocate.

I also said that those who support this, and some have posted to,that affect on here, are simply going step by step to recreational marijuana. I would prefer to have my loved ones treated by a medical professional with drugs approved by the appropriate body.

Painting those opposed to this as unsympathetic boobs is wrong and very misguided, in addition to arrogant.

I have been very open with my questions...very open about my lack of knowledge, and have done some homework on the subject. Do I doubt that it may alleviate pain, etc in some cases...no. Do I think there are alternatives that will do the same thing...yes (actually using the basic contents of marijuan)

Do I think this movement has alternative motives, other than trying to make folks like me look like fools and unsympathetic people...yes. Gameplay on many of these movements is the same...call them a name or too..a make them feel guilty. I, actually in doing some background reading, found two places where I was not only unsympathetic as you willed me, but racist, because I didn't care about the percentage of blacks locked up for using this drug.

Perhaps we come from such divergent backgrounds we will never agree. I basically would rather rely on a medical professional for remedies, and find that the law enforcment issues are not one of race, but bad behavior.

I AM NOT unsympathetic....just unconvinced and if that makes me what you deemed me to be, then so be it

I will accept you have a problem with us of old age ( I prefer experienced, but you would find fault with that), and as to generalizations, I have asked a few VERY SPECIFIC questions on this thread. Your post to me is the very epitome of generalization.

[JoMar]

First, I really hate to be painted as you painted me..."old age"...and using generalizations to make it easy.

I have been asking through out this thread, and got a reply....I have read that there are drugs that can be prescribed that will do EXACTLY what you advocate.

I also said that those who support this, and some have posted to,that affect on here, are simply going step by step to recreational marijuana. I would prefer to have my loved ones treated by a medical professional with drugs approved by the appropriate body.

Painting those opposed to this as unsympathetic boobs is wrong and very misguided, in addition to arrogant.

I have been very open with my questions...very open about my lack of knowledge, and have done some homework on the subject. Do I doubt that it may alleviate pain, etc in some cases...no. Do I think there are alternatives that will do the same thing...yes (actually using the basic contents of marijuan)

Do I think this movement has alternative motives, other than trying to make folks like me look like fools and unsympathetic people...yes. Gameplay on many of these movements is the same...call them a name or too..a make them feel guilty. I, actually in doing some background reading, found two places where I was not only unsympathetic as you willed me, but racist, because I didn't care about the percentage of blacks locked up for using this drug.

Perhaps we come from such divergent backgrounds we will never agree. I basically would rather rely on a medical professional for remedies, and find that the law enforcment issues are not one of race, but bad behavior.

I AM NOT unsympathetic....just unconvinced and if that makes me what you deemed me to be, then so be it

I will accept you have a problem with us of old age ( I prefer experienced, but you would find fault with that), and as to generalizations, I have asked a few VERY SPECIFIC questions on this thread. Your post to me is the very epitome of generalization.

I will agree to disagree......and I'm 71 so I think I qualify for "old age" in the context. Some of us see things differently and that's ok and we will all work for what we believe.

[rubicon]

Charolette's Web was a cannabinoid oil extract that eliminated the high. Again I say that the use of medical marijuana has to ne metered so that it can be closely controlled.

People equate marijuana with cigarettes or alcohol but forget both are regulated but yet both always find there way to under age people
Cigarettes are bad but marijuana has more cancer causing agents than cigarettes and today's marijuana is has substantially more THC then that of 1970. Studies have indicate that regular use (once a week) can drop IQ by 6 points

[gerryann]

....

[shcisamax]

And now you can the District of Columbia to the list that voted to allow recreational marijuana
Gee maybe that would help with the animus of republicans and democrats LOL Can you imagine watching CNN on a day when they all smoked pot?

Okay, to get serious, there were several good points above. I never read the actual language so perhaps that is really the problem. I voted for it because I pretty much believe if you are in pain, get relief. I also believe if you are terminally ill, you should be able to choose to end that downhill journey when YOU want to and not have to endure unnecessary suffering. I would be happy to have those two pills in my medicine closet.
From what i know, it is technically marijuana but they have extracted the part that makes you high. I do believe it is a miracle for seizures and they are actually working on it in Colorado to make the most potent form for seizure issues. I would much prefer to use marijuana rather than some of the other alternatives that are extremely harsh on your liver, and have other side effects.

As for dissing seniors, he's an idiot. Just my humble opinion.

[Rags123]

So sorry for the loss of your sister. My brother was in the same situation, but with an inoperable brain tumor. This picture was taken 2 weeks before his death. Medical marijuana helped him get through the rough days. He was 46, a policeman in Tampa.

A lot of people can NOT take drugs. I am one of them. I have had 3 surgeries and could take nothing stronger than Tylenol. I would have loved marijuana, but had no way of finding it, or I would have.

To you people who seriously think that everyone is out looking for a "high"....you are wrong! They are looking for help managing pain. The people looking to get high will find it in whatever form they can find.

http://https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45888&stc=1&d=1415313194

We always seem to end up in the same place on this.

I can only speak for myself on this. I really get upset being painted as unsympathetic and non feelings. That is so far from the truth and it really upsets me to have that implied.

I have asked....are there other medications that will achieve the same thing. I have been told on this thread and have read it THAT THERE ARE. Actually, drugs that more assimilate marijuana than those on ballots. I will ask again, and I ask again in the most sympathatic way......are there not alternatives to pot now ?????? Drugs that obtain the very same results ? If I am being informed correctly ON THIS THREAD the medical marijuana is without the strongest component of the drug.

Why is this not being explored within the medical community and going through the same thing that any new drug needs to go through ? Why is all political and on a ballot ? Why does noone who supports it even admit that there are alternatives that will do the same thing ?

If there are no other alternatives that offer the same results you seek, then I am with you on making MEDICAL MARIJUANA legal but still asking WHY the medical community is not pursuing it and why it is made political ?

I note on this thread that there are those who ignore the medical part of this and talk about the recreational part of it.....that bothers me A LOT. And if you listen to the supporters of MEDICAL marijuana, they are almost giddy about getting it legal for recreational use.

If someone can address these questions, I am open. Trying to make me feel guilty...and I can only speak for myself, is terribly unfair. I have sympathy for all of you and anyone who suffered.....I also know suffering but choose not to discuss it.....I am NOT a cold person as you seem to want to make me.

Please address my questions.....I have been accused of dealing in only generalities, yet those who support this measure talk in generalities only and I have asked and asked SPECIFIC questions and only receive stories about how it helped family and I am glad that you were able to get that....honestly, but that is NOT speaking to the subject or the national debate.

I would also ask that you give your opinion on recreational use, just to keep your comments in context.

Thank you and sorry if you feel I am cold and unfeeling but it is not the case.

[shcisamax]

If there are no other alternatives that offer the same results you seek, then I am with you on making MEDICAL MARIJUANA legal but still asking WHY the medical community is not pursuing it and why it is made political ?

My understanding is that whatever is in marijuana, with our without the THC but they are making it without the THC specifically FOR seizures, is extremely potent for seizures. My understanding is it works even when other synthetic pharmaceuticals are unable to. Why not use it?
I didn't read this entire thread but I am sorry if people are making you feel badly for your opinion. Everyone has one. :)

[gerryann]

We always seem to end up in the same place on this.

I can only speak for myself on this. I really get upset being painted as unsympathetic and non feelings. That is so far from the truth and it really upsets me to have that implied.

I have asked....are there other medications that will achieve the same thing. I have been told on this thread and have read it THAT THERE ARE. Actually, drugs that more assimilate marijuana than those on ballots. I will ask again, and I ask again in the most sympathatic way......are there not alternatives to pot now ?????? Drugs that obtain the very same results ? If I am being informed correctly ON THIS THREAD the medical marijuana is without the strongest component of the drug.

Why is this not being explored within the medical community and going through the same thing that any new drug needs to go through ? Why is all political and on a ballot ? Why does noone who supports it even admit that there are alternatives that will do the same thing ?

If there are no other alternatives that offer the same results you seek, then I am with you on making MEDICAL MARIJUANA legal but still asking WHY the medical community is not pursuing it and why it is made political ?

I note on this thread that there are those who ignore the medical part of this and talk about the recreational part of it.....that bothers me A LOT. And if you listen to the supporters of MEDICAL marijuana, they are almost giddy about getting it legal for recreational use.

If someone can address these questions, I am open. Trying to make me feel guilty...and I can only speak for myself, is terribly unfair. I have sympathy for all of you and anyone who suffered.....I also know suffering but choose not to discuss it.....I am NOT a cold person as you seem to want to make me.

Please address my questions.....I have been accused of dealing in only generalities, yet those who support this measure talk in generalities only and I have asked and asked SPECIFIC questions and only receive stories about how it helped family and I am glad that you were able to get that....honestly, but that is NOT speaking to the subject or the national debate.

I would also ask that you give your opinion on recreational use, just to keep your comments in context.

Thank you and sorry if you feel I am cold and unfeeling but it is not the case.

Forget "recreational marijuana" that is not what is being discussed. That's actually the problem...no one is looking for a "high" when using MM. If you are, then move to Colorado, or purchase illegally....that's not what this is about.

As for other drugs doing the same....doing what? Eliminating seizures? Eliminating pain? The legal drugs that eliminate pain are highly addictive and have terrible side effects.....MM does not.

[Rags123]

If there are no other alternatives that offer the same results you seek, then I am with you on making MEDICAL MARIJUANA legal but still asking WHY the medical community is not pursuing it and why it is made political ?

My understanding is that whatever is in marijuana, with our without the THC but they are making it without the THC specifically FOR seizures, is extremely potent for seizures. My understanding is it works even when other synthetic pharmaceuticals are unable to. Why not use it?
I didn't read this entire thread but I am sorry if people are making you feel badly for your opinion. Everyone has one. :)



Well, thus far I am old, narrow minded, talk in generalities (nobody will answer my specific questions) and a lot of other things. One who used the narrow minded comments applauded the increase in legal recreation use so that flies in the face of using it for medical reasons.

I am NONE of those things. If you want to stick with the actual title of the thread, this ammendment was very very poorly worded relative to obtaining it.

Again, this politics, and it IS politics, of calling anyone who disagrees with you names or unsympathetic or racist (THAT is a claim of some if you oppose this) or whatever name you want to use.....that is wrong and those who do it, are simply showing their ignorance and inability to have a discussion.

I have asked questions on this.....I cannot understand why nobody will respond to those questions and only tell sad stories of their loved ones. I understand those feelings for sure.....just trust me....I DO understand but that story whether it be mine or yours is NOT what should being discussed.

Again, I am sorry sometimes I even post on some of this threads. People do not want to discuss...just make sure they are able to feel better than you who disagree with their views, and NEVER support them.

Do those who post and imply that I, or anyone, is not sympathetic to their plight or that of their family REALLY AND HONESTLY feel that way ? And if so, how do you arrive at that ?

AND BY THE WAY....I LOVE hearing other opinions....that is how we learn. But, an opinion is not implying I am something I am not or calling me and others narrow minded. That is arrogant to me...as if YOURS is the only opinion. Sharing opinions is great.....sharing pontifications is not educational to anyone.

[Rags123]

Forget "recreational marijuana" that is not what is being discussed. That's actually the problem...no one is looking for a "high" when using MM. If you are, then move to Colorado, or purchase illegally....that's not what this is about.

As for other drugs doing the same....doing what? Eliminating seizures? Eliminating pain? The legal drugs that eliminate pain are highly addictive and have terrible side effects.....MM does not.

Forgot recreational...only mentioned because a supporter of the medical mariuna ammendment referenced how happy they were relative to more states allowing recreational.

Listen, I am not smart enough to continue this conversation and my ego can stand no more of the shots taken at me for my questions...my questions now, NOT my stand.

I have read and they are probably crap sites..but have read about at least 10 drugs that mimic cannabis and just want to know what is wrong with them,....You say they have bad side affects...I am not reading that.

I wish all of you well......you are obviously more well versed than I on this subject and I will bow out......please accept my apologies if I hurt anyones feelings with my QUESTIONS, not opinions or stands...QUESTIONS...still unanswered but did not want to offend so many people.

Again, I AM old, but not narrow minded, not unsympathetic, not racist and enjoy learning things. What I have learned here is that many have suffered and have had relief with marijuana...that is good. What I want to learn is about the alternatives to using marijuana.

[sunnyatlast]

I don't know how MM proponents expect it to become a prescribed substance when the clinical trials required for all other prescription drugs have not been done on "medical marijuana" which is the whole, unprocessed plant according to the link I posted earlier.

One of the biggest reasons for required clinical trials is to find out by scientific method whether it actually helps, and to find out if it does more good than harm! (First, do no harm.)

As this research article from National Institutes of Health shows, there are many complexities to both crude cannabis and the prescription drugs made from derived canniboids that remain untested and unresolved:

Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain

"Even after political and legal considerations, it remains extremely unlikely that crude cannabis could ever be approved by the FDA as a prescription medicine as outlined in the FDA Botanical Guidance document (Food and Drug Administration 2004; Russo 2006b), due to a lack of rigorous standardization of the drug, an absence of Phase III clinical trials, and pulmonary sequelae (bronchial irritation and cough) associated with smoking (Tashkin 2005). Although cannabis vaporizers reduce potentially carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons, they have not been totally eliminated by this technology."

Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/?report=classic)

[DougB]

I voted "yes" for people like your sister. Too bad the narrow minds of Florida won out.

Well said Sandtrap. I voted "yes" also for people like Wandatime's sister and John Morgan's brother. I agree with John Morgan, esquire.

Wanda, I also voted "yes" for those like your sister.

[Buckeyephan]

I found Mr. Morgan's argument about MM to be a smokescreen for his hidden intentions. Especially curious was the commercial featuring the little girl who had seizures. According to this article, the MM that would help her is already available.

Gov. Rick Scott signs 'Charlotte's Web' medical marijuana bill | Tampa Bay Times (http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/gov-scott-signs-charlottes-web-marijuana-bill-into-law/2184590)

It is a bit hard to believe that this poor little girl would actually be smoking weed to help with her seizures. Her father's plea for a way to help his child is a bit unnecessary since he can already get the drug she needs.

I'm all for MM to help those who have no other alternatives. What was presented to voters did not adequately address controlling access. My understanding is that doctors can't prescribe it since it is an illegal substance. The feds are simply overlooking the violations in favor of States' Right on the issue. Hmmm, why are we respecting the states on this issue but not on others? That's another question for another day.

Sorry Mr. Morgan. You'll just have to make your money from more frivolous lawsuits instead of your pot farm.

[Steve & Deanna]

"Grandma & Grandpa, would you run down to the corner store and pick up some medical marijuana?" You know whose hands this will get into. We had a case in a nearby city a couple of years ago when some college student went down a city street at 60mph during mid afternoon and took out five cars. When the officers walked towards his car, you'd never guess what he was lighting up......again.....in front of the officers.

[Rags123]

I found Mr. Morgan's argument about MM to be a smokescreen for his hidden intentions. Especially curious was the commercial featuring the little girl who had seizures. According to this article, the MM that would help her is already available.

Gov. Rick Scott signs 'Charlotte's Web' medical marijuana bill | Tampa Bay Times (http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/gov-scott-signs-charlottes-web-marijuana-bill-into-law/2184590)

It is a bit hard to believe that this poor little girl would actually be smoking weed to help with her seizures. Her father's plea for a way to help his child is a bit unnecessary since he can already get the drug she needs.

I'm all for MM to help those who have no other alternatives. What was presented to voters did not adequately address controlling access. My understanding is that doctors can't prescribe it since it is an illegal substance. The feds are simply overlooking the violations in favor of States' Right on the issue. Hmmm, why are we respecting the states on this issue but not on others? That's another question for another day.

Sorry Mr. Morgan. You'll just have to make your money from more frivolous lawsuits instead of your pot farm.


Glad you recognize the politicization of this subject. Why respecct the states ? Game is put it on the ballot and bring out the voters....period. Did not work on Tuesday but that is the game plan !!

[Buffalo Jim]

The language of the of the Question was extremely poorly written .

Even I could drive a " truck " through it . Given Mr. Morgan`s strong interest and financial backing for his " cause " I was very surprised that the language was not a great deal " tighter ".
As it was written it would require the voters to give over a " Carte Blanche " with respect to any reasonable control / regulation over the sale and distribution .

[TheVillageChicken]

The language of the of the Question was extremely poorly written .

Even I could drive a preverbal " truck " through it . Given Mr. Morgan`s strong interest and financial backing for his " cause " I was very surprised that the language was not a great deal " tighter ".
As it was written it would require the voters to give over a " Carte Blanche " with respect to any reasonable control / regulation over the sale and distribution .

I am not aware of any trucks that preceded the existence of speech.

[Buffalo Jim]

I am not aware of any trucks that preceded the existence of speech.

Good catch !

Thanks for the note ! I will correct it .

[janmcn]

23 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881)


Twenty three states plus the District of Columbia have passed laws allowing the use of medical marijuana. It would be interesting to hear from posters on how these laws in their home states effected their lives.

California's law allowing medical marijuana seems to be the earliest enacted, dating all the way back to 1996. Other states allowing it are Arizona, Alaska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Washington, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maryland, Maine, Connecticut, Colorado, Minnesota, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Vermont, and too many others to list.

[blueash]

I have asked....are there other medications that will achieve the same thing. I have been told on this thread and have read it THAT THERE ARE. Actually, drugs that more assimilate marijuana than those on ballots. I will ask again, and I ask again in the most sympathatic way......are there not alternatives to pot now ?????? Drugs that obtain the very same results ? If I am being informed correctly ON THIS THREAD the medical marijuana is without the strongest component of the drug.

Why is this not being explored within the medical community and going through the same thing that any new drug needs to go through ? Why is all political and on a ballot ? Why does noone who supports it even admit that there are alternatives that will do the same thing ?

If there are no other alternatives that offer the same results you seek, then I am with you on making MEDICAL MARIJUANA legal but still asking WHY the medical community is not pursuing it and why it is made political ?


Ok, I will try to give some light and not much heat.

The designation of marijuana as a schedule one drug makes the possession illegal even by doctors or researchers. With rare exceptions it has been and continues to be illegal to conduct studies using weed especially if any federal dollars are involved in the research facility.
University of Florida says it won't risk federal funding to participate in marijuana research - SaintPetersBlog (http://www.saintpetersblog.com/archives/154064)
The politics of how marijuana became a schedule one drug are another topic for another day.

THC is the prime active ingredient in pot, but it is not the only active ingredient. Cannabinoid comes in different chemical forms, think of it like saying Ford which can be a Mustang, Fiesta.... Some forms of THC differ in their profile from others. Some seem to be less likely to produce euphoria than others. The relative amounts in a plant of THC and the other active ingredients in pot differ from plant to plant. There are cannabinoids which produce extremely little euphoria.

There are NO drugs which mimic marijuana because the natural product has many different chemicals.
"Pharmacologically, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); it is one of 483 known compounds in the plant including at least 84 other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and cannabigerol (CBG)."

It would be like saying taking a nicotine pill is the same as smoking tobacco, or taking a caffeine pill is the same as drinking coffee. So while there are some approved product which contain cannabinoids none of them provide the wide (alleged) benefits of the real thing.
105 Peer-Reviewed Studies on Marijuana - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000884)
has the most complete list of studies I can find. Some involve smoking, many involve extracts and commercial products. The studies are of variable quality and look at different issues. No broad conclusions can be drawn.

There are many anecdotal reports, including some posted here, where patients and families have reported that smoked pot was the best drug for the symptoms needing treatment, most effective with fewest side effects.

Benefits reported include control of nausea, increased appetite, improved sleep, pain control, improved mood, and in patients with spasticity improvement in spasms. And as everyone knows, an anticonvulsive benefit in children with Dravet syndrome from the non-euphoria compounds in pot.

So to summarize.. There are no approved products that are the same as pot. There is extremely limited research which the government would require to reclassify pot off of schedule one because you can't do research on schedule one drugs (see reference above). The answers to :

Why is this not being explored within the medical community and going through the same thing that any new drug needs to go through ? Why is all political and on a ballot ? Why does no one who supports it even admit that there are alternatives that will do the same thing ?

is because none of those things are possible at this time, so it is politics that have marijuana a schedule one drug, and it will be politics that will undo that situation if it is to be undone.

[mickey100]

My sister had terminal lung cancer. Pot helped her with the almost unbearable pain and boosted her appetite a little. If you have ever watched someone suffer the way I saw her suffer, and you knew pot would help them, it would be inhumane to deny it to them. Here she is with her kids long before cancer entered their lives. Clearly not a doper.

Thank you for sharing. Too bad others don't have your compassion and common sense.

[Rags123]

Ok, I will try to give some light and not much heat.

The designation of marijuana as a schedule one drug makes the possession illegal even by doctors or researchers. With rare exceptions it has been and continues to be illegal to conduct studies using weed especially if any federal dollars are involved in the research facility.
University of Florida says it won't risk federal funding to participate in marijuana research - SaintPetersBlog (http://www.saintpetersblog.com/archives/154064)
The politics of how marijuana became a schedule one drug are another topic for another day.

THC is the prime active ingredient in pot, but it is not the only active ingredient. Cannabinoid comes in different chemical forms, think of it like saying Ford which can be a Mustang, Fiesta.... Some forms of THC differ in their profile from others. Some seem to be less likely to produce euphoria than others. The relative amounts in a plant of THC and the other active ingredients in pot differ from plant to plant. There are cannabinoids which produce extremely little euphoria.

There are NO drugs which mimic marijuana because the natural product has many different chemicals.
"Pharmacologically, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); it is one of 483 known compounds in the plant including at least 84 other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and cannabigerol (CBG)."

It would be like saying taking a nicotine pill is the same as smoking tobacco, or taking a caffeine pill is the same as drinking coffee. So while there are some approved product which contain cannabinoids none of them provide the wide (alleged) benefits of the real thing.
105 Peer-Reviewed Studies on Marijuana - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000884)
has the most complete list of studies I can find. Some involve smoking, many involve extracts and commercial products. The studies are of variable quality and look at different issues. No broad conclusions can be drawn.

There are many anecdotal reports, including some posted here, where patients and families have reported that smoked pot was the best drug for the symptoms needing treatment, most effective with fewest side effects.

Benefits reported include control of nausea, increased appetite, improved sleep, pain control, improved mood, and in patients with spasticity improvement in spasms. And as everyone knows, an anticonvulsive benefit in children with Dravet syndrome from the non-euphoria compounds in pot.

So to summarize.. There are no approved products that are the same as pot. There is extremely limited research which the government would require to reclassify pot off of schedule one because you can't do research on schedule one drugs (see reference above). The answers to :

Why is this not being explored within the medical community and going through the same thing that any new drug needs to go through ? Why is all political and on a ballot ? Why does no one who supports it even admit that there are alternatives that will do the same thing ?

is because none of those things are possible at this time, so it is politics that have marijuana a schedule one drug, and it will be politics that will undo that situation if it is to be undone.

Thank you for an adult response. Now I need to do more reading.

Thanks again for your maturity ! There are websites that dispute the options available and they need to be vetted.

One more question I have been asking.....how many who favor medical marijuana also would like legalization of recreational marijuana and more importantly for what reason ?

The reasons for medical have been expounded and are clear.

Thanks again

[Sandtrap328]

Just medical marijuana - not recreational.

I heard on NPR that in Colorado that around 40% of the recreational marijuana sold is sold in food products from the pot shops. They had a discussion of "dosage" being labled on the food packages since eating an entire marijuana cookie or brownie could send some people into such a high that they have hurt themselves seriously.

So, for Sandtrap328, I will pass up the recreational MJ and just hope the medical marijuana makes it legally to Florida.

[dplars]

I have a hard time believing Amendment 2 was really about providing for the physically sick. Mentally maybe, but because of the way it was written made me believe it was for the wide spread sale of dope. It would have made it available for anyone who could get a MD to write a prescription. Follow the money! Wish one could find out how many dispensaries were being planned in south Florida and by whom.

[blueash]

Thank you for an adult response. Now I need to do more reading.

Thanks again for your maturity ! There are websites that dispute the options available and they need to be vetted.

One more question I have been asking.....how many who favor medical marijuana also would like legalization of recreational marijuana and more importantly for what reason ?

The reasons for medical have been expounded and are clear.

Thanks again

Thanks for your compliment. I will pause to suggest that these are very different issues. A decision whether to allow the state to regulate the availability of medical marijuana seems like it should be decided on medical evidence. That means both evidence in favor and against. And balance the risk vs benefit. While it is legitimate to ask the "what if" questions they should not dominate the discussion, as they did too often IMO. If there is a product which according to a licensed physician would benefit a patient more than present risk to that patient, and in fact there are hundreds or thousands of similar cases, that would make me question the classification of that product as having no known benefit. Keep in mind we allow medications which have a huge amount of potential for abuse to be prescribed and just do our best to control that abuse. Oxycontin has an enormous abuse potential, but sometimes is the only pain medication that provides some relief to patients with severe pain. Could there be doctors who abuse the right to prescribe and patients who fake symptoms and divert their pills to the street, of course. But we don't make oxycontin a schedule one drug because it is a needed weapon in the battle against pain.

Legalization of recreational marijuana is not one which should be based mostly on the medical considerations. The one medical/psychological concern might be the theory of gateway drug use. IMO this is not settled in the literature but most data suggests pot does not lead to other drugs, it more is a stop over point for people who are going that way anyhow. Example, most people get to having intercourse. But at some point they behaviorally pause at second or third base. Petting didn't gateway going all the way, it was just easier to get there first.

Legalization should be decided on whether the societal costs of criminalization, prosecution, incarceration, creating a high profit drug underground, loss of potential tax revenue, and those kinds of considerations are worth keeping. What is the downside of legalization vs continued criminalization? Reasonable people will see the data differently, and we all come pre-loaded with our cultural constraints. In a few short months we will have 4 states with wide availability of recreational pot. Those who oppose de-criminalization should be prepared to produce real data showing that the consequences they predicted actually happen. That means something more than just a case report here and there of an individual who did poorly. In the absence of adverse outcomes, I would hope that those who oppose decriminalization would reconsider.

[graciegirl]

Thanks for your compliment. I will pause to suggest that these are very different issues. A decision whether to allow the state to regulate the availability of medical marijuana seems like it should be decided on medical evidence. That means both evidence in favor and against. And balance the risk vs benefit. While it is legitimate to ask the "what if" questions they should not dominate the discussion, as they did too often IMO. If there is a product which according to a licensed physician would benefit a patient more than present risk to that patient, and in fact there are hundreds or thousands of similar cases, that would make me question the classification of that product as having no known benefit. Keep in mind we allow medications which have a huge amount of potential for abuse to be prescribed and just do our best to control that abuse. Oxycontin has an enormous abuse potential, but sometimes is the only pain medication that provides some relief to patients with severe pain. Could there be doctors who abuse the right to prescribe and patients who fake symptoms and divert their pills to the street, of course. But we don't make oxycontin a schedule one drug because it is a needed weapon in the battle against pain.

Legalization of recreational marijuana is not one which should be based mostly on the medical considerations. The one medical/psychological concern might be the theory of gateway drug use. IMO this is not settled in the literature but most data suggests pot does not lead to other drugs, it more is a stop over point for people who are going that way anyhow. Example, most people get to having intercourse. But at some point they behaviorally pause at second or third base. Petting didn't gateway going all the way, it was just easier to get there first.

Legalization should be decided on whether the societal costs of criminalization, prosecution, incarceration, creating a high profit drug underground, loss of potential tax revenue, and those kinds of considerations are worth keeping. What is the downside of legalization vs continued criminalization? Reasonable people will see the data differently, and we all come pre-loaded with our cultural constraints. In a few short months we will have 4 states with wide availability of recreational pot. Those who oppose de-criminalization should be prepared to produce real data showing that the consequences they predicted actually happen. That means something more than just a case report here and there of an individual who did poorly. In the absence of adverse outcomes, I would hope that those who oppose decriminalization would reconsider.


Great post!

[Quietman]

I still don't understand why it has been proposed as an Amendment to the state constitution instead of a state passed law. Am I missing something? If we amend our constitution it would be extremely difficult to backtrack if it didn't work out as expected. Or is that the end game?

[dbussone]

I still don't understand why it has been proposed as an Amendment to the state constitution instead of a state passed law. Am I missing something? If we amend our constitution it would be extremely difficult to backtrack if it didn't work out as expected. Or is that the end game?

I believe John Morgan thought it would be easier to have it passed by popular vote than legislatively. I may be wrong but I know of no reason that it HAD to be a constitutional amendment.

[collie1228]

Morgan and Morgan - For the People (well, on second thought, for some of the people).

[Wandatime]

We always seem to end up in the same place on this.

I can only speak for myself on this. I really get upset being painted as unsympathetic and non feelings. That is so far from the truth and it really upsets me to have that implied.

I have asked....are there other medications that will achieve the same thing. I have been told on this thread and have read it THAT THERE ARE. Actually, drugs that more assimilate marijuana than those on ballots. I will ask again, and I ask again in the most sympathatic way......are there not alternatives to pot now ?????? Drugs that obtain the very same results ? If I am being informed correctly ON THIS THREAD the medical marijuana is without the strongest component of the drug.


Why is this not being explored within the medical community and going through the same thing that any new drug needs to go through ? Why is all political and on a ballot ? Why does noone who supports it even admit that there are alternatives that will do the same thing ?

If there are no other alternatives that offer the same results you seek, then I am with you on making MEDICAL MARIJUANA legal but still asking WHY the medical community is not pursuing it and why it is made political ?

I note on this thread that there are those who ignore the medical part of this and talk about the recreational part of it.....that bothers me A LOT. And if you listen to the supporters of MEDICAL marijuana, they are almost giddy about getting it legal for recreational use.

If someone can address these questions, I am open. Trying to make me feel guilty...and I can only speak for myself, is terribly unfair. I have sympathy for all of you and anyone who suffered.....I also know suffering but choose not to discuss it.....I am NOT a cold person as you seem to want to make me.

Please address my questions.....I have been accused of dealing in only generalities, yet those who support this measure talk in generalities only and I have asked and asked SPECIFIC questions and only receive stories about how it helped family and I am glad that you were able to get that....honestly, but that is NOT speaking to the subject or the national debate.

I would also ask that you give your opinion on recreational use, just to keep your comments in context.

Thank you and sorry if you feel I am cold and unfeeling but it is not the case.

Rags123: I can't answer your questions because I don't know the answers. When my sister was ill and smoked pot, it was illegal and medical marijuana was only beginning to peek over the horizon. I certainly did not mean to imply you are unfeeling and unsympathetic -- I was merely trying to show that for some people marijuana works. Again, I don't know why, and I don't know if any other drugs work as well. I know what I've read on this thread, but that doesn't mean it is the truth. Doesn't mean it is not the truth either, just saying I personally have not done the research. If you are really that interested, perhaps you could do some research, add the links, and get back to us. Please don't think I am being a smart aleck by saying that. I just know for me if I am interested in a subject I do my own research.

From what I hear the proposition put forth was not worded very well. I am not a Florida resident yet but if the proposition was worded strongly in favor of medical marijuana in controlled circumstances, I would vote yes.

If it had hints of recreational marijuana I am not sure how I would vote. I do not smoke pot, but there is a great deal of pot being smoked out there (.05% of the population of Florida smoke pot for whatever reason, see link below), and it is unregulated. Perhaps regulating and taxing it would provide the smokers with untampered pot and the state with much needed revenue. I saw a program on CNN regarding the regulation of pot in Colorado, and the whole operation from growth to sales is tightly run. Apparently there are different strains for different needs -- some strains are very helpful for insomnia, some strains are good for depression, and others help with pain.

Again, I sure didn't mean to make you feel guilty or like you weren't being heard; I did read your posts and never thought you were old, uncaring, stupid or anything else. I was just putting my two cents into the pot (no pun intended).


Marijuana legalization sweeps the 2014 midterm elections - Vox (http://www.vox.com/2014/10/20/6953771/weed-legalization-alaska-florida-oregon-washington-dc-vote/in/6914992)

[Wandatime]

///

[rubicon]

I find it interesting that marijuana is considered a mind altering drug. Those that have medical conditions that can be helped aren't the younger generation...it is our generation. Cigarettes have carcinogens which are present in the tobacco plant, marijuana doesn't. Comparing the two is apples and oranges but I guess that is what we do when we reach old age and generalizations are easier. I would ask the poster what what he do if the prescribed drugs don't ease the pain and suffering of either himself for a loved one. Do we then let the Dr prescribe codeine or other habit forming drugs to dull the pain and suffering? Do we believe that is ok because it is prescribed by a Dr.even though those drugs are extremely addictive. And, I don't think the younger generation, our kids and grand kids are interested in Medical Marijuana. If they want recreational marijuana I'm sure they know where they can get it in their neighborhood.

jomar: Marijuana according to the experts has 4 times more carcinogens than cigarettes. Cigarettes are regulated and yet they find there way to very young people

[Walter123]

jomar: Marijuana according to the experts has 4 times more carcinogens than cigarettes. Cigarettes are regulated and yet they find there way to very young people

It should be according to "Some" experts.

[Sandtrap328]

...and I am sure our kids and grandkids can find recreational marijuana cheaper than what medical marijuana would cost - and with no sales tax!

[PennBF]

Lets get real. The ones who should provide the assessments of marijuna are the professionals who deal with addicts. When someone comes in the door and has OD'd saving them is the major concern. When someone comes in the door because of a court order the goal is getting them back to being sober and drug free, when someone comes in the door and saying they really don't need this Rehab, getting them to understand they would not be there if they weren't addicted and effecting their family or society and abusing them. When someone comes in the door and is hung up on coke, meth, etc. it is critical to determine (a) how they started and (b) what triggers them. The cemical build up is not relevant as none of what they are doing will help them recover and be aware as why they are addicted. They usually don't care. For some facts are Alcohol has the some chemicals as embaling fluid and is the only drug that effects every organ of the body, 15-20% of marijuna users will end up using coke, meth, heroin and some dying. The ones really harmed by the use of mind altering drugs are the families and unfortunately the children within the family. Most addicts "don't care". Whether it be marijuna, alcohol, meth, coke, or heroin all will have a bad impact on the family and society as the very purpose of using is to avoid reality which is key to a sound society and family. Those that try to compare one to the other are only comparing the "bad effects" as other than using some marijuna for pain for the sick that is the only purpose of the comparison. Those that overlook the usage and make excuses or enable should understand serious users may/will die and by enabling you are just helping them t die quicker. By not enabling them you are at least giving them a chance to live. Yes, marijuna is a "gate way" drug and you can scream from the highest building that it is not and that only proves you have no idea of what you are talking about and why the Professionals should be the source of decisions on mind altering drugs. Get real and stop enabling if you are, and rely on Professional addiction experts as opposed to politicians. Go to Al Non, NA or AA meetings to truly understand addictions and the terrible impact on our society.:ohdear:

[Sandtrap328]

...and a senior using marijuana to relieve pain of cancer or to deal with the effects of chemotherapy is going to turn into a heroin user and start committing crimes to feed their heroin habit?

This is Medical Marijuana that was on the ballot.

Besides, it is a moot point now. The narrow minded voters of Florida saw to that.

Case closed.

[OldManTime]

Anyone seen the video of Morgan drunk, he is such a sleez bag

[gerryann]

Anyone seen the video of Morgan drunk, he is such a sleez bag

No didn't see it.......and , it would certainly add a whole lot of beneficial information to this discussion.........:shrug:

[Rags123]

Thanks for your compliment. I will pause to suggest that these are very different issues. A decision whether to allow the state to regulate the availability of medical marijuana seems like it should be decided on medical evidence. That means both evidence in favor and against. And balance the risk vs benefit. While it is legitimate to ask the "what if" questions they should not dominate the discussion, as they did too often IMO. If there is a product which according to a licensed physician would benefit a patient more than present risk to that patient, and in fact there are hundreds or thousands of similar cases, that would make me question the classification of that product as having no known benefit. Keep in mind we allow medications which have a huge amount of potential for abuse to be prescribed and just do our best to control that abuse. Oxycontin has an enormous abuse potential, but sometimes is the only pain medication that provides some relief to patients with severe pain. Could there be doctors who abuse the right to prescribe and patients who fake symptoms and divert their pills to the street, of course. But we don't make oxycontin a schedule one drug because it is a needed weapon in the battle against pain.

Legalization of recreational marijuana is not one which should be based mostly on the medical considerations. The one medical/psychological concern might be the theory of gateway drug use. IMO this is not settled in the literature but most data suggests pot does not lead to other drugs, it more is a stop over point for people who are going that way anyhow. Example, most people get to having intercourse. But at some point they behaviorally pause at second or third base. Petting didn't gateway going all the way, it was just easier to get there first.

Legalization should be decided on whether the societal costs of criminalization, prosecution, incarceration, creating a high profit drug underground, loss of potential tax revenue, and those kinds of considerations are worth keeping. What is the downside of legalization vs continued criminalization? Reasonable people will see the data differently, and we all come pre-loaded with our cultural constraints. In a few short months we will have 4 states with wide availability of recreational pot. Those who oppose de-criminalization should be prepared to produce real data showing that the consequences they predicted actually happen. That means something more than just a case report here and there of an individual who did poorly. In the absence of adverse outcomes, I would hope that those who oppose decriminalization would reconsider.

First, at the risk of you getting a "big head" :), allow me to once again compliment your postings on this issue. I think one of the best things about message boards like this is the ability to debate logically, see new ideas, and prompt investigation. You have done that for me, without the usual quips and one liners that folks normally use and try to disguise that as being knowledgable.

I did some reading based on your post and again will say loud and clear that it is obvious in reading your posts that I am not in the same ballpark as you in knowing the subject, but that is fine. Most of what I will say you can take as a question because I surely am not to pass myself off as any kind of expert on this subject.

I will start at the end. I still have questions and concerns about MEDICAL marijuana. As do the American Medical Association, although they feel strongly that whatever needs to be done to further study should be done ASAP. I also believe that the American Cancer Association are in that camp.

I did find two drugs that supposedly will do what cannabis will do for patients....Marinol and Zofran....both of which I am sure you will find fault with, and that is fine with me.....both have side effects but so does medical marijuana.

I find it difficult to support the use of a "drug" that has not gone through the process of being approved by the FDA. As I said, drugs INCLUDING marijuana have side affects.

Actually you probably know this but HEROIN also has a number of beneficial things it can do for us medically. THAT fact shocked me as I read and I sure hope that is not the next drug being pushed on a ballot to approve for use.

I also find it difficult to VOTE on a ballot on a subject like this. I think you said about deciding based on medical science and I have strong doubts as to whether the voters voted on this based on medical science. It has been politicized and if there were to be a movement to find more drugs that can mimic the good things about medical marijuana, I would probably support that. I just hope in my lifetime I am not faced with a ballot that wants to legalize both marijuana and heroin which appears not beyond the reasonable.

Again, I appreciate your instilling in me the need to investigate this further and I will continue to read more as I go.

I doubt if you will ever convince me to support recreational marijuana but you did get me to look further into medical use and for that I am glad.

I will read your response and I am sure that will generate more reading for me but as I said....THAT is one main function of a message board.

Thanks for not quipping and generalizing. I am not, as charged, narrow minded in anyway...those who make that charge are the narrow minded. I am also not unsympathetic as charged also.

Thanks for allowing some conversation and please continue....

[blueash]

I still don't understand why it has been proposed as an Amendment to the state constitution instead of a state passed law. Am I missing something? If we amend our constitution it would be extremely difficult to backtrack if it didn't work out as expected. Or is that the end game?

Florida has a GOP legislature and governor and very gerrymandered districts which will certainly maintain GOP legislative control into the foreseeable future. The war on drugs has been conducted by both parties but to a far greater extent the GOP which regularly features accusations of Dems being "soft on crime". As more states have liberalized their marijuana laws the political question became, can it happen in Florida. No way with the present legislature.

To see how well medical marijuana has done in the Florida legislature check 2013 SB 1250 Senate Bill 1250 (2013) - The Florida Senate (http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/1250/?Tab=BillHistory)
which the GOP directed legislature refused to even have a hearing or a vote.

The 2014 minor medical marijuana bill SB 1030 was passed in part to attempt to co-opt the push for Amendment 2. Posters on this forum have said, well we already allow Charlotte's Web so there is no need for Amendment 2. By the way our local Florida State senator, Alan Hays was one of the 16 out of 141 who voted NO on the bill
Senate Bill 1030 (2014) - The Florida Senate (http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2014/1030/?Tab=VoteHistory)

In Florida the prospect of meaningful reform bringing us into conformity with other states is not happening with our legislature. That is why the supporters of MM went directly to the voters. I think it is likely it will come up for a vote again. With a slightly more diverse and younger electorate as you tend to get in Presidential election years, it is more likely to pass.

[Rags123]

Rags123: I can't answer your questions because I don't know the answers. When my sister was ill and smoked pot, it was illegal and medical marijuana was only beginning to peek over the horizon. I certainly did not mean to imply you are unfeeling and unsympathetic -- I was merely trying to show that for some people marijuana works. Again, I don't know why, and I don't know if any other drugs work as well. I know what I've read on this thread, but that doesn't mean it is the truth. Doesn't mean it is not the truth either, just saying I personally have not done the research. If you are really that interested, perhaps you could do some research, add the links, and get back to us. Please don't think I am being a smart aleck by saying that. I just know for me if I am interested in a subject I do my own research.

From what I hear the proposition put forth was not worded very well. I am not a Florida resident yet but if the proposition was worded strongly in favor of medical marijuana in controlled circumstances, I would vote yes.

If it had hints of recreational marijuana I am not sure how I would vote. I do not smoke pot, but there is a great deal of pot being smoked out there (.05% of the population of Florida smoke pot for whatever reason, see link below), and it is unregulated. Perhaps regulating and taxing it would provide the smokers with untampered pot and the state with much needed revenue. I saw a program on CNN regarding the regulation of pot in Colorado, and the whole operation from growth to sales is tightly run. Apparently there are different strains for different needs -- some strains are very helpful for insomnia, some strains are good for depression, and others help with pain.

Again, I sure didn't mean to make you feel guilty or like you weren't being heard; I did read your posts and never thought you were old, uncaring, stupid or anything else. I was just putting my two cents into the pot (no pun intended).


Marijuana legalization sweeps the 2014 midterm elections - Vox (http://www.vox.com/2014/10/20/6953771/weed-legalization-alaska-florida-oregon-washington-dc-vote/in/6914992)

Your two cents accepted :)

I was just a bit annoyed, not at you or others with real stories, but those who must for some reason make these little uninformed quips as if they have the final answer on anything that might come up.

Sometimes, enough of that and I can get a bit defensive. Your story was read, appreciated and contributed to my continually trying to learn more about this.

I am not happy about it being political....but I am only one person. And for recreational use, I cannot see me EVER agreeing with that. Our young people deserve much more from us. They are already being desentized on drug use from this debate

[rubicon]

I get very concerned when some people attempt to sound so cerebral and rational about this subject as if they were absolutely right and thus have the moral high ground. First, let's set aside that perhaps the medical community will find benefit with cannabis oil extract removing the THC high. Let's also set aside that the medical community learning from the abuse of opoids works with the FDA in strict metering of this extract. Let's assume everyone agrees with this very narrow purpose. If so we can eliminate the medical marijuana canard and call a spade a spade.

The real debate here is about finding a way to get recreational use legalized.
Proponents speak of decriminalizing it and yet like gambling criminals always find a way in the back door because they will not be denied the billions up billions of dollars it will bring. So from that prospective all that was done is that criminals now have a way to continue illegal activities with the blessing of the government. because they will also continue black markets

Proponents are also politicians who salivate over taxes but they will end up paying out more because of the damage legalized marijuana will bring to their state.

Proponents claim that by legalizing it it can be regulated but alcohol and cigarettes are heavily taxed and regulated and politicians keep telling us how much it is costing us in medical care. The young will be able to get marijuana and according to experts it has a 6 point drop in IQ in one study and a 8 point drop in another along with memory loss. Essentially we have enough slackers in our country now without giving them more in which to enjoy their relax style.

You have to be very naive and/or have an incentive to want recreational marijuana enacted....and again it is being slipped in with the canard called medical marijuana.

So intellectualize til the cows come home but dope is called dope for an obvious reason. Rationalize in haste repent in leisure

[Buffalo Jim]

If you were to Google his name you will find one very interesting history .

[gerryann]

If you were to Google his name you will find one very interesting history .

:shrug: who's name?

[graciegirl]

...and a senior using marijuana to relieve pain of cancer or to deal with the effects of chemotherapy is going to turn into a heroin user and start committing crimes to feed their heroin habit?

This is Medical Marijuana that was on the ballot.

Besides, it is a moot point now. The narrow minded voters of Florida saw to that.

Case closed.

It was completely another agenda. It had nothing to do with pain relief. It was not going to be controlled by the medical community. It was thinly veiled recreational marijuana. I don't really care what anybody gets high on as long as they don't bother me, kill me or annoy me, but call it what it is.

If any person who wants to smoke pot can get it so easily than it can be obtained for a person suffering just that easily too.

I am skeptical. VERY skeptical.

[justjim]

I suppose that I would move to one of the States that have approved medical marijuana if I had a medical need for the drug. 57-58% approval by a very conservative State is pretty remarkable when you really think about it! In most "elections" it's a landslide.

On the other hand, you are breaking federal law any State you go. We live in a great country.......how be it confusing sometimes.

[Buckeyephan]

Another interesting fact: Charlie Crist is an attorney for Morgan & Morgan. Although he has never be assigned a case, he was paid nearly $300,000 in 2013. Maybe he hasn't been in court because it took him 3 tries to pass the bar.

Charlie Crist: Touted as attorney for Morgan & Morgan, but hasn (http://www.naplesnews.com/news/state/charlie-crist-touted-as-attorney-for-morgan-morgan-but-hasnt-been-in-court_20759536)

[manaboutown]

...and a senior using marijuana to relieve pain of cancer or to deal with the effects of chemotherapy is going to turn into a heroin user and start committing crimes to feed their heroin habit?

This is Medical Marijuana that was on the ballot.

Besides, it is a moot point now. The narrow minded voters of Florida saw to that.

Case closed.

Actually, unfortunately, the case is far from closed. Its sponsor has further plans to pursue his dream of getting rich(er) from pot.

It seems to me the intelligent, well informed, concerned voters of Florida saw the proposed law was poorly drafted, with lots of ambiguity and loopholes and would likely be a step toward legalizing recreational cannabis. Just look at who sponsored it! It did not come from a group of oncologists, ophthalmologists or other medical professionals. It came from a profane trial attorney with multiple DUI's.

[Sandtrap328]

Actually, unfortunately, the case is far from closed. Its sponsor has further plans to pursue his dream of getting rich(er) from pot.

It seems to me the intelligent, well informed, concerned voters of Florida saw the proposed law was poorly drafted, with lots of ambiguity and loopholes and would likely be a step toward legalizing recreational cannabis. Just look at who sponsored it! It did not come from a group of oncologists, ophthalmologists or other medical professionals. It came from a profane trial attorney with multiple DUI's.

The opposition was from the drug manufacturers and they duped a minority of the voters into voting NO. Remember that 57% voted YES. I imagine that Rick Scott and his cronies in Tallahassee got big political payoffs from these drug manufacturers.

[Rags123]

...and a senior using marijuana to relieve pain of cancer or to deal with the effects of chemotherapy is going to turn into a heroin user and start committing crimes to feed their heroin habit?

This is Medical Marijuana that was on the ballot.

Besides, it is a moot point now. The narrow minded voters of Florida saw to that.

Case closed.

You continually use the term "narrow minded" when referring to everyone in Florida who does not agree with YOU.

I assume you adopted this term from the Growth and Opportunity Project, but am not exactly sure how you apply "narrow minded" to over 3 million fellow citizens who have well founded fears, not only over the theorem presented but even more over the actual language in the ammendments.

I also wonder about those who support the ammendment but offer nothing to support their position except for the calling names of those who voted against it, and attempting to make anyone opposed to changing the state constitution relative to a medical decision, not supported by the AMA, the American Cancer Society or any other mainstream respected medical authority feel guilty.

Do you also support the use of heroin for medical reasons, as it also has value that has been supported in medical circles ?

This may pass eventually, but there are alternatives that those who are not so "narrow minded" according to YOUR use of the term, which supposedly makes them "open minded" refuse to discuss. This is why the motives here are questioned.

[graciegirl]

The opposition was from the drug manufacturers and they duped a minority of the voters into voting NO. Remember that 57% voted YES. I imagine that Rick Scott and his cronies in Tallahassee got big political payoffs from these drug manufacturers.


Do you REALLY believe that?

[Rags123]

Do you REALLY believe that?

I am sure that proof of this series allegation of the governor getting a payoff will be forthcoming...nobody would make that kind of accusation without some basis.

Actually, most of those who opposed that were folks involved in the Just Say No type organizations and The Florida Sherifs organization., but will wait to hear about the drug company payoffs.

[rp001]

Google can help when you are not sure:

Every age group younger than 65 voted yes at the required 60% pass rate.

In The Villages precincts the No vote was over 60%.

Precincts - Election Night Reporting (http://enr.electionsfl.org/SUM/Precincts/1174/4069)

So in the Villages where the age certainly skews toward the older voter Mr. Morgan's statement is clearly correct. For Sumter County alone the Amendment failed by 10,000 votes. For the entire state it failed by 150,000 votes.

Based on ignorance and lies put out about the drug.

[Rags123]

Based on ignorance and lies put out about the drug.


Sort of like the payoff the governor received ? OR the fact that there are alternatives ? Those kind of things ? Or maybe the poorly constructed wording of the ammendment ?

Which

[Rags123]

Sort of like the payoff the governor received ? OR the fact that there are alternatives ? Those kind of things ? Or maybe the poorly constructed wording of the ammendment ?

Which

PS....this will be taken care of by the legislature....the CORRECT WAY. To allow for the proper control. This group getting this on the ballot spent most of their time on COLLEGE CAMPUSES..,,,,wonder why ? They had an agenda and it was not MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

THAT is where the deceit comes in !

[dbussone]

I am sure that proof of this series allegation of the governor getting a payoff will be forthcoming...nobody would make that kind of accusation without some basis.



Actually, most of those who opposed that were folks involved in the Just Say No type organizations and The Florida Sherifs organization., but will wait to hear about the drug company payoffs.


Wow...I think Wiilie Wonker is in the Chocolate Factory.

[TheVillageChicken]

I voted yes, but let's get back to John Morgan and his motives, which were pretty simple. He was trying to mobilize young voters in hopes that they would also vote for his law partner Charlie Crist. He lost on both counts.

[Rags123]

I voted yes, but let's get back to John Morgan and his motives, which were pretty simple. He was trying to mobilize young voters in hopes that they would also vote for his law partner Charlie Crist. He lost on both counts.


You have a pretty good fix on it !!!!

[PennBF]

I have a novel idea. Those that tout the need for marijuna and the wonders it will bring should study the impacts that Colorado has seen. What they will find is that traffic violations have gone up 12.5% because of the drug BUT and BIG BUT..the impact on the youth in middle and high schools have a number of the school official very concerned. They have noted that kids are getting their pot from the loose ways the parents are casually treating it. The kids are smoking it like it is just another candy. They leave school for lunch and go across the street and smoke pot. It has had a significant impact on the schools. They even light up in school.
THERE IS NO ARGUMENT THAT MARIJUNA HAS A PROFOUND NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION UNDER 21. EVERYTHING FROM BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND BIRTH DEFECTS. PLEASE DON'T CHALLENGE THIS FACT UNLESS YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!
No where in any note have I disagreed with providing marijuna to those that are honestly sick and it would lessen their pain, etc
But, again big but..do some homework to understand the true effect that marijuna has on a society. :ohdear:

[Rags123]

I have a novel idea. Those that tout the need for marijuna and the wonders it will bring should study the impacts that Colorado has seen. What they will find is that traffic violations have gone up 12.5% because of the drug BUT and BIG BUT..the impact on the youth in middle and high schools have a number of the school official very concerned. They have noted that kids are getting their pot from the loose ways the parents are casually treating it. The kids are smoking it like it is just another candy. They leave school for lunch and go across the street and smoke pot. It has had a significant impact on the schools. They even light up in school.
THERE IS NO ARGUMENT THAT MARIJUNA HAS A PROFOUND NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION UNDER 21. EVERYTHING FROM BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND BIRTH DEFECTS. PLEASE DON'T CHALLENGE THIS FACT UNLESS YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!
No where in any note have I disagreed with providing marijuna to those that are honestly sick and it would lessen their pain, etc
But, again big but..do some homework to understand the true effect that marijuna has on a society. :ohdear:

All your points are well taken. You will now hear how you are talking about recreational use and the ammendment was for medical.

I submit that our younger folks are being desensitized to marijuana use. They have grown up with irresponsible discussions of this drug and see nothing wrong with it.

I am with you....we are doing a great disservice to our younger people.

Next on the agenda.....hey, look what Heroin can do, and trust me there are medical benefits to heroin and that will be next. People making money while crippling (making self absorbed, dependent) an entire generation.

[Sandtrap328]

[QUOTE=Rags123;965150]I am sure that proof of this series allegation of the governor getting a payoff will be forthcoming...nobody would make that kind of accusation without some basis."


If the post was re-read, it would be noted that the post stated, "I imagine ..." A person is entitled to whatever they want to believe. Now, if the post stated "I know for a fact", it would be a different story. But it didn't.

One could also ask for proof of a statement that "they had an agenda and it was not medical marijuana." Is that a known fact or a belief?

[Indydealmaker]

Based on ignorance and lies put out about the drug.

Not at all.

A quick read of the proposed amendment reveals a poorly written, ill conceived document. When you consider that our government cannot administer a well designed program, you have got to know that a jumbled mess like the proposed amendment would be a disaster.

Another shot at this should be based upon an approach that will not open the door to unqualified "caregivers" as distributors. Medical grade marijuana prescribed by "select" doctors and prescriptions filled by pharmacists would allow this proposal to fly right through to acceptance.

[B767drvr]

Gupta: 'I am doubling down' on medical marijuana
By Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

updated 8:40 AM EST, Thu March 6, 2014

Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores politics of pot

A growing number of patients want cannabis as a medicine
"It is irresponsible to not provide the best care we can," Sanjay Gupta says
Those with influence are paying attention to the debate
The public has become intensely engaged

(CNN) -- It's been eight months since I last wrote about medical marijuana, apologizing for having not dug deeply into the beneficial effects of this plant and for writing articles dismissing its potential. I apologized for my own role in previously misleading people, and I feel very badly that people have suffered for too long, unable to obtain the legitimate medicine that may have helped them.
I have been reminded that a true and productive scientific journey involves a willingness to let go of established notions and get at the truth, even if it is uncomfortable and even it means having to say "sorry."
It is not easy to apologize and take your lumps, but this was never about me.
This scientific journey is about a growing number of patients who want the cannabis plant as a genuine medicine, not to get high.

It is about emerging science that not only shows and proves what marijuana can do for the body but provides better insights into the mechanisms of marijuana in the brain, helping us better understand a plant whose benefits have been documented for thousands of years. This journey is also about a Draconian system where politics overrides science and patients are caught in the middle.
Since our documentary "Weed" aired in August, I have continued to travel the world, investigating and asking tough questions about marijuana.

I have met with hundreds of patients, dozens of scientists and the curious majority who simply want a deeper understanding of this ancient plant. I have sat in labs and personally analyzed the molecules in marijuana that have such potential but are also a source of intense controversy. I have seen those molecules turned into medicine that has quelled epilepsy in a child and pain in a grown adult. I've seen it help a woman at the peak of her life to overcome the ravages of multiple sclerosis.

Can medical marijuana help seizures?

I am more convinced than ever that it is irresponsible to not provide the best care we can, care that often may involve marijuana.
I am not backing down on medical marijuana; I am doubling down.
I should add that, although I've taken some heat for my reporting on marijuana, it hasn't been as lonely a position as I expected. Legislators from several states have reached out to me, eager to inform their own positions and asking to show the documentary to their fellow lawmakers.

I've avoided any lobbying, but of course it is gratifying to know that people with influence are paying attention to the film. One place where lawmakers saw a long clip was Georgia, where the state House just passed a medical marijuana bill by a vote of 171-4. Before the legislative session started, most people didn't think this bill had a chance.

More remarkable, many doctors and scientists, worried about being ostracized for even discussing the potential of marijuana, called me confidentially to share their own stories of the drug and the benefit it has provided to their patients. I will honor my promise not to name them, but I hope this next documentary will enable a more open discussion and advance science in the process.
Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance, defined as "the most dangerous" drugs "with no currently accepted medical use."

Neither of those statements has ever been factual. Even many of the most ardent critics of medical marijuana don't agree with the Schedule I classification, knowing how it's impeded the ability to conduct needed research on the plant.
Even the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volkow, seems to have softened her stance; she told me she believes we need to loosen restrictions for researchers.

Along the way, the public has become intensely engaged. Our collective society has paid closer attention to this issue than ever before, and with that increased education, support for medical marijuana has only grown, including in some unexpected places.

Pete Carroll, the coach of the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks, said the National Football League should explore medical marijuana if it helps players. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hasn't dismissed the idea, saying that if marijuana is reconsidered by the medical establishment, the league would treat it the same as any other medicine. Goodell also says the NFL is following the science that suggests marijuana may help recovery from concussions.
Recently, I had the chance to tell him that the United States already holds a patent on medical marijuana for that very purpose. Patent No. 6630507: Cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke or trauma.

However, this particular issue still bothers me: How can the government deny the benefits of medical marijuana even as it holds a patent for those very same benefits? Members of the Food and Drug Administration declined my repeated requests for an interview.

This past year, President Barack Obama told the New Yorker magazine, "I don't think (marijuana) is more dangerous than alcohol." And yet, as alcohol remains available to any adult, the president has not moved to remove marijuana from the list of the most tightly controlled substances in the country.
Since I started my reporting on this topic, I have mostly resisted temptation to inject a subjective moral equivalency into this discussion, such as pitting alcohol against marijuana or reminding you that cocaine and methamphetamine are actually more available than marijuana to patients, physicians and medical researchers: They are Schedule II drugs, with recognized medical uses. Or telling you that on average, a person dies every 19 minutes in this country from a legal prescription drug overdose, while it is virtually unheard-of to die from a marijuana overdose.

But, with a discussion like this, consistency does matter. Terms matter, too.
We are talking about a medicine, known scientifically as cannabis. In order for people to start thinking of this substance as a medicine, perhaps we should start calling it by its medical name, something that was suggested to me by medical marijuana advocates pretty much everywhere I went this year.
I've tried to pull together these latest developments in our new documentary, "Cannabis Madness." Although the 1936 film "Reefer Madness" was propaganda made to advance an agenda with dramatic falsehoods and hyperbole, I hope you will find "Cannabis Madness" an accurate reflection of what is happening today, injected with the best current science.

You will meet families all across the country -- a stay-at-home mom from Ohio, a nurse practitioner from Florida, an insurance salesman from Alabama -- more than 100 families who have all left jobs, homes, friends and family behind and moved to Colorado to get the medicine that relieves their suffering.
As things stand now, many of these good people don't ever get to return home. Why? Because transporting their medicine, even if it is a non-psychoactive cannabis oil, could get them arrested for drug trafficking. And so they are stuck, cannabis refugees.

You will meet them, and if you're like me, you'll be heartbroken to hear their stories, but you'll also have a lump in your throat when you see the raw, true love these parents have for their sick children.

History books may one day draw a parallel between this chapter of medical marijuana and the story of David and Goliath. Playing the role of David's slingshot, which ultimately brought Goliath to his knees, would be a 2-year-old girl named Vivian Wilson. She inspired her father to challenge the system in a spectacular way that caused a nation to stop for a moment and take note.
For months, we have filmed and followed the Wilson family with all of their trials and tribulations, and you will meet the whole family in the upcoming documentary.

I am a father myself, first and foremost. I don't want my children taking or being offered a psychoactive substance. As a neurosurgeon, I know that the developing brain is more susceptible to the most harmful effects of cannabis and that brain development continues well into our mid-20s.

I also worry that generations from now, my great-grandkids will find Internet headlines referring to me as the "pot doc." I do hope they will also read the rest of the story and understand the lives of the countless people who have suffered needlessly when a plant could have helped. I hope they know that I have dedicated my time to researching the medical literature, speaking to the scientists in person and piecing together a fact-based presentation meant to educate, not frighten.

I hope future generations won't consider me naive. Yes, I know there is a concern that many people out there will feign ailments just to get marijuana. But withholding legitimate treatment for the needy is a very unjust way of addressing that concern.

As a physician and reporter, I feel a deeper obligation to present the real stories, soundly supported with the science from all over the world.
When I first apologized for my previous marijuana reporting, I was thinking about the impact that reporting may have had on Charlotte Figi. She is a sweet little girl whose brain was locked in nearly nonstop seizure activity. Without success, she tried seven different medications, stringent diets and high-dose supplements. Modern medicine had nothing more to offer, which is why her parents turned to an ancient plant. As you know, it worked.
And, as you will see, she is one of so many patients out there, suffering from different ailments, who believe cannabis rescued them when nothing else did.
For conditions like Charlotte's, the American Epilepsy Society says that there are a million people for whom existing therapies do not control their seizures. The society recently said anecdotes about medical marijuana "give reason for hope" and said it supports "well-controlled studies that will lead to a better understanding of the disease and the development of safe and effective treatments."

You should know that Charlotte continues to do well. When I saw her around the holidays, she ran over and gave me a hug. She looked me in the eyes, took me by the hand and led me all around to meet her friends. She is a delightful, happy and now healthy little girl.

I know the discussion around this topic will no doubt get heated. I have felt that heat. But I feel a greater responsibility than ever to make sure those heated discussions are also well-informed by science.