�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� While there is still some strong push for Amendment 2 to pass, it is not met without opposition from those who caution against the potential for abuse. Vote No on 2 is the leading group campaigning against Amendment 2, while United for Care (or People United for Medical Marijuana) is leading the campaign in support of Amendment 2. In essence, a “yes” vote supports legalizing medical marijuana for individuals with specific debilitating diseases or comparable conditions as determined by a licensed state physician, while a “no” vote would oppose legalization and keep the state’s current limited marijuana program in place (as defined in measures like SB 1030 and HB 307). One argument against Amendment 2 is that it will initiate a “pill mill” scenario, or a situation in which doctors issue prescriptions without medical necessity. To address this concern Ben Pollara, campaign manager of United for Care, explains why dispensaries won’t become something akin to “pill mills” for medical marijuana. “In a pill mill scenario, you complain about a hurt back and a doctor writes you a prescription for a pain killer,” said Ben Pollara, campaign manager for United for Care. “You immediately go to the pharmacy and fill the prescription in the same day. This would not be the case with medical marijuana; the process makes it almost impossible to create a pill mill scenario with dispensaries, because you have to get diagnosed by a licensed physician, get a recommendation, and send it to the Florida Department of Health for verification and wait for a stateissued ID. This means you could not do it all in one transaction, within the same day, as with the pill mill scenario.” Another of the primary concerns against the legalization of medical marijuana is that communities won’t have the right to limit or restrict “pot shops” or medical marijuana dispensaries in their city or county. “Because we would be passing a constitutional amendment, the state legislature, local law enforcement and local governments will not be able to alter the law in any way, shape or form,” said Christina Johnson, campaign spokesperson for Vote No on 2. “The authors of this amendment could have included a clause granting local communities the right to ban, limit or restrict pot shops in their communities. Because they didn’t, Escambia County and others aren’t guaranteed a local option.” Speaking of local options, the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners will not be moving forward with a yearlong moratorium that would have prevented medical marijuana dispensaries from opening in unincorporated parts of the city. The moratorium was to give county staff time to figure out how to deal with dispensaries in regards to the county’s zoning laws. For zoning considerations, Pensacola will treat medical marijuana dispensaries as if they are pharmacies. On Aug. 18, the commissioners set aside the moratorium and voted 5-0 to direct country staff to come back with an ordinance that would regulate dispensaries currently allowed under state law. This vote was only concerned with dispensaries currently allowed by law, which leaves open the possibility for further regulation on the local level, should November’s ballot on Amendment 2 pass and expand the availability of medical marijuana. Already, six nurseries have been approved by the Florida Department of Health to grow medical marijuana, and a seventh is awaiting a judge’s order on issuance of a license to grow. Plans were recently announced for a medical marijuana dispensary to open within Pensacola city limits. Until Amendment 2 has been passed, there is no way to determine the possible fiscal impacts of medical marijuana on Florida’s economy on the larger state level as well as on the local level. Of course, there will be an expected increase in costs for additional regulatory and enforcement associated with the production and sale of medical marijuana. While fees can offset the costs and sales tax may apply to purchases, changes in revenue cannot be reasonably determined since the extent to which medical marijuana will be exempt from taxation is unclear without legislative or state action. Public Opinion MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IN FLORIDA Quinnipiac Public Policy News 13 Mason- Dixon Polling Gravis Marketing Anzalone Liszt Research Support Oppose ���������������� ���������������� ���������������� ���������������� ���������������� ����������������
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