Pubdate: Thu, 28 Oct 2010
Source: News-Press (Fort Myers, FL)
Copyright: 2010 The News-Press
Contact:  http://www.news-press.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1133
Author: Chris Umpierre

TIME FOR FLORIDA TO OK MEDICAL POT?

Marijuana is the only drug that Ginny Amaral believes can ease her constant 
bone and soft tissue pain.

The 47-year-old Cape Coral resident has rheumatoid arthritis, a long-term 
disease that inflames her joints and tissues and limits movement.

"I can't take pain medications anymore because (their side effects) do 
damage to my body," Amaral said. "I know my pain could be eased with 
cannabis, but I can't use it because (users) are treated like criminals 
here in Florida."

Amaral hopes the growing national medical marijuana movement - 14 states 
have legalized medical marijuana in the last 14 years and four have 
cannabis issues on their Tuesday ballots - will influence the Sunshine 
State to change its medical marijuana stance.

Amaral is part of an Orlando-based political action committee collecting 
signatures to put the legalization of medical marijuana on Florida's 2012 
ballot.

If approved, the amendment would give Floridians the right to grow, 
purchase, possess and obtain marijuana for medical treatment. Orlando's 
People United for Medical Marijuana has until Feb. 1, 2012, to collect 
676,811 signatures.

Lee County's medical marijuana supporters will keep a close eye on 
California on Tuesday, when Golden State residents will vote on legalizing 
pot for recreational use.

"I believe once the initiative passes in California that it's going to 
start a domino effect across the nation," said North Fort Myers' Kim Hawk, 
chairman of Lee's Libertarian Party and a water conservation board member.

Help For Economy

But opposition from law enforcement and a lack of support by the majority 
of the medical community could prove to be roadblocks for Florida's medical 
marijuana movement. PUFMM is trying to make the case that legalizing the 
drug could create tax revenue and jobs to lift the state's sluggish economy.

Group founder Kim Russell estimates there are 1.7 million seriously ill 
Floridians who could benefit from the medical use of marijuana, everyone 
from breast cancer patients to people suffering from glaucoma and chronic pain.

Using that population base, an average of $5,000-per-year prescription cost 
and an 8 percent sales tax, Russell estimates the industry could generate 
$200 million a year in direct revenue for Florida.

"Medical marijuana isn't for everybody, but the people who need it should 
be allowed to get it," said Russell, who wants her 63-year-old father to 
get the most effective drug for his Parkinson's disease. "People should 
have the option to save their lives without breaking the law."

Support Lcking

Medical studies have shown benefits from cannabis, particularly for 
glaucoma and tremors. It has also been shown to increase appetite and 
alleviate the nausea caused by cancer treatments.

But the major medical associations haven't endorsed it.

"There's really no real hard evidence behind it. There's been no double 
blind studies that have shown its efficacy," said Dr. Larry Hobbs, a Fort 
Myers emergency physician and former president of the Lee County Medical 
Society.

Bruce Grant, director of Florida's Office of Drug Control, said marijuana 
is not medicine.

"We have a rigid system for prescribing medicines," he said. "Marijuana 
hasn't passed any of those tests."

Law Sifting

Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott said earlier this year that the drug Marinol, 
which has synthetic THC - the active ingredient in marijuana - is already 
prescribed to treat nausea and pain in sick people. Scott also dismissed 
the notion that marijuana is not harmful.

"The very fact that marijuana is smoked contradicts any argument that it is 
not harmful," Scott said.

Hawk disagreed. He said no study has linked lung cancer to marijuana.

"This plant is different than tobacco," Hawk said.

Federal law, which has prohibited marijuana since 1937, has started to 
shift on the topic. Last year, Attorney General Eric Holder said the 
federal government would stop raiding marijuana distributors in states 
where it's legal. However, last week, Holder also said that if California 
approves recreational use of pot, federal law will be enforced in the state.

According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, 81 percent of 
Americans support legalizing medical marijuana.

Ballot Sccess

In every state where medical marijuana has been on the ballot, it has been 
successful - with the exception of South Dakota, where it lost with 48 
percent of the vote. But the challenge in Florida will be steeper because 
the state requires a 60 percent majority vote.

As of Monday, PUFMM had collected 24,186 signatures, or 3 percent of the 
required amount. About 517 people have signed the petition in Lee and 
Collier counties.

Amaral collected signatures for PUFMM at April's Susan G. Komen Race for 
the Cure in Estero. The 5K race raises money for breast cancer research.

"People were thanking us for what we're doing and being brave enough to do 
it," Amaral said. "They kept telling me they wished medical marijuana was 
available for their loved one that recently passed."
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D