Pubdate: Wed, 26 Feb 2014
Source: Ledger, The (Lakeland, FL)
Copyright: 2014 The Ledger
Contact:  http://www.theledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/795

FLORIDA'S DRUG LAWS: LEGALIZE "CHARLOTTE'S WEB"

Commonsense reforms to drug laws have been rare in the Florida
Legislature, but it appears that lawmakers couldn't ignore children
being deprived of seizure medication.

Children who have intractable epileptic seizures benefit from a
marijuana extract known as Charlotte's Web. Bills in the state Senate
and House would legalize the substance, including a measure introduced
last week by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island (south of
Jacksonville).

The sensitivity around the subject led Bradley to send a letter
reassuring his constituents.

"This substance is delivered in oil form with drops under the tongue
and is unique in that it does not make a person a=C2=80=C2=98high' like
traditional marijuana," he wrote.

The reaction to the proposals so far has been refreshingly rational.
National Public Radio reported that Rep. Charles Van Zant, a Baptist
minister typically opposed to anything that he perceives as
encouraging substance abuse, said he was persuaded by pleas from
parents to support legalization of the Charlotte's Web extract.

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"I don't think this is substance abuse. I think this is using the
substance wisely, as God intended," said Van Zant, R-Keystone Heights.

Drug War Pitfalls

Bradley should be lauded for the bill and supporting other changes to
the state's ineffective and wasteful drug laws. A bill introduced by
Bradley and a companion measure in the House from Rep. Katie Edwards,
D-Plantation, would create more reasonable sentences for low-level
offenses involving prescription painkillers.

Under state law, illegally possessing or selling as few as seven pills
of hydrocodone is enough to land someone a three-year mandatory
minimum sentence. The proposals would increase the amount to 30 pills.

The tide may have turned because the measure passed the House Criminal
Justice Subcommittee, with Van Zant casting the lone dissenting vote.

Bipartisan support for the bill is similar to federal sentencing
reforms backed by tea party-backed Republicans such as Kentucky Sen.
Rand Paul and liberal Democrats such as Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy.
Providing treatment eliminates a portion of drug addiction as well as
expensive prison crowding.

Of course, it also makes political sense for Florida Republicans to
support the legalization of the Charlotte's Web extract and other
efforts to closely regulate medical marijuana. Public-opinion polls
show voters support a proposed constitutional amendment legalizing
medical marijuana, a measure that would take power from lawmakers and
turn out liberal voters.

Members of both parties should be able to agree that treating health
care issues as criminal-justice issues wastes money and isn't
effective. It shouldn't take children being deprived of needed
medication to get lawmakers to finally do something about it.
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MAP posted-by: Matt