Group attempts to roll marijuana into state constitution
by Michael C. Bender | March 30th, 2009
An Orlando woman announced today that she’s launching an effort to let voters to decide whether to include medical marijuana laws in the state constitution. She’s planning to put the question on the 2010 ballot.
Kim Russell, a 3rd generation Floridian, said she’s making the push because her father suffers from Parkinson’s disease and believes he could avoid brain surgery with medical marijuana. She said she’s collecting signatures and money, but has not yet received help from any national groups or financiers.
The most recent state to approve medical marijuana laws was Michigan, where 63 percent voters approved a ballot initiative in November. Of the 12 other states with medical marijuana laws, eight stemmed from ballot initiatives; four were enacted by state legislatures, according to the Associated Press.
Russell’s group, People United For Medical Marijuana (PUFMM), has their proposed initiative here.
Tags: medical marijuana, People United For Medical Marijuana
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March 30th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Let’s get out and sign this initiative. It is about time Florida came to grips with reality and stop the fear mongering of antiquated prohibition policies. Thhis initiative would put Florida on the same footing of at least 17 other states that have done/ are doing the same.
March 30th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
It’s about time common sense and not “I think……..” took charge.
THis is a VICE folks! Plain and simple. It’s no worse than drinking liquor and just as much a CHOICE made by those who want to and those who don’t.
And like alcohol, stop criminalizing the citizens and making the criminals wealthy!!!!!!!!!
March 30th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
It is long past the time for the Government to be our nanny while it endorses, even if tacictly, drugs that cause far more damage and have sero medicinal effects (alcohol and cigarettes which must carry deadly health warnings), while criminalizing a drug that has practical medical benefit. Prohibition not only didn’t work and it contributed to the rise of an organized criminal cuulture. The very same thing is being done with marijuana. Will we never learn?
March 30th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
when we brought back alcohol during the depression era, it durasticallly helped stimulate our economy. legalizing or decriminalizing it would to much better than worse. it would be one less thing gangs would have to fight and kill over. tax the hell out of it like cigs, create thousands of jobs. jails are extremely over crowded with non violent drug offenders (most are incarcerated for marijuana)while we have rapists and violent offenders being released early due to overcrowded prisons… alcohol in my opinion is much worse than marijuana…i think marijuana should be regulated almost the same way alcohol is regulated. have designated age. no stoned and driving… you can grow it (just like you can brew beeer)but must have special govt permits to distribute. what are we waiting for lets be the 14th state!!
March 30th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
“Medical” marijuana? What about us healthy people? Everything is always for the sick, the poor, the elderly, but what about young, healthy, wealthy people? We have needs too!
March 30th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Aren’t South Florida roads dangerous enough.?
March 30th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
This is a issue that has been swept under the carpet far to long!COME ON PEOPLE lets get together and VOTE,SIGN,YELL whatever it takes to leaglize Marijuana! Pain KILLERS KILL,ACOHOL KILLS!I don,t know anyboby that has O.D. on marijuana! Live Healthier and Live FREE! Used it myself for 37 years and I am HEALTHY “53″.
March 30th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
History records many narcotics (opium, marajuana, heroin, cocaine, morphine) and even many types of plants with medicinal values…for the cures of pain and suffering, physically and emotionally. Just as in todays times thers just as much a valid necessity as in historical applications. However, thousands of years ago there was no need for “FDA” to enforce policy and legislate laws governing the use and sales of pharmaceuticals, controlled or uncontrolled substances. Theres misue in epidemic proportions that have plagued every aspect of our social culture, in every part of the world to a devastating degree when those products are misused and adminstered under the guise of medicinal purposes, besides the recreational uses. And both aspects of its use has been the resulting cause of many tragic deaths…suicides, overdoses, crime, drug wars, gang activity, and the list goes on and on…and that icludes alcoholic beverages as well. Which has seen a dramatic increase in teenage consumption at an alarming rate. So there you have it. And to reiterate: There’s advantages and disadvantages…depending on who, why , when and for what reasons someone wants it for.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:05 am
“Aren’t South Florida roads dangerous enough.?”
According to the NHTSA, drivers under the influence of marijuana alone have a lower accident rate than sober drivers and experience side effects ranging from decreased speed, increased headway (distance between you and the car in front of you), increased alertness, and drivers are more aware of their condition and less likely to drive. However, responsible users won’t use and drive, just like they wouldn’t if they were using medical heroin or medical cocaine which a doctor can already legally write a prescription for, yet not marijuana.
-Joshua Giesegh
Campaign Manager
PUFMM
March 31st, 2009 at 10:30 am
I was on medical marijuana when I lived in the N.W. and at no time was I ever inebriated to the point where I could not drive or get on with my daily life. Today I am on pain management with narcotics and my life is all messed up. Some days I can not function do to the medications and the excruciating pain that I am in. On the days that I can and do use marijuana for medicinal purposes, those days are much better. I can function and my pain is not near as bad as it is without the medicinal use. While on pain meds, I can not drive because I am under the influence and am afraid of hurting someone. While “smoking” I am able to drive and function as a normal person without worrying about whether I can drive or not. I am 51 years old and have been an avid user of marijuana since I was 12 years old. I don’t stuble around like a drunk and I can add 2+2 without thinking. I have never heard of anyone dying from an overdose of marijuana, yet checking the statistics, there are millions of deaths due to accidental overdose of pain meds and alcoholic beverages. Not to mention how many other people are killed without being at fault. Legalize marijuana and there won’t be near as many problems and a lot less people on narcotics.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:31 am
Where do I sign up at? As a voter for over 30 years I have always advocated leagalizing this drug and treating it just like alcohol. It’s stupid the way our government punishes those who choose a lesser evil drug. The taxes and savings for law enforcement is in the billions and billions of dollars. It’s high time (no pun intended) that we as citizens do something about this.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Thanks Paul, Joe, Kerry, Everyone..
The best thing to do to demand change is to contact your representatives. You pay for them to be in there. You voted them in. They need to represent YOU! Let them know that you “want them to initiate and support a medical marijuana program in the state of Florida!”
Demand the change be now, and ask for a written response even.
You can find your Zip+4 here
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
and your representatives here
http://capwiz.com/norml2/dbq/officials/
if you aren’t sure who to contact.
Give them a call and let them know!
I have been fighting this fight for a while now and I even have all my state and federal representatives saved in my phone so I can update them on how I am feeling about the issues if I see something they need to be aware of.
Just some friendly advice I have learned from doing this..
Also, to update the article..
New Hampshire has been added to this list of medical states as of last Wednesday!!!
Within a couple years, over half of the states will be medical marijuana states! While most of our largest populated states have already reformed, the cause is spreading to all the others in need of change as well!
Hopefully this will help our federal government review the Controlled Substance Act which allows for cocaine and meth to be prescribed but not marijuana. Also maybe they will re-introduce HR 5842 to restore patients rights across America. 39 years of this medical injustice has been long enough, our patients need safe access again!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Here’s where to download the petition: http://www.pufmm.org/petition.php
March 31st, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Finally! My father also has Parkinson’s, and it is absolutely ridiculous that medical marijuana isn’t available for people who need it for medical purposes! I see my dad get worse all the time with this disease; and it disgusts me that weed, which isn’t even really a drug IMHO, isn’t available for him. It would drastically stimulate our economy which is also another benefit. Hopefully our government officials will pull their head out of their *** soon and set things right!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:08 am
Waaaay Overdue!!! We also need to make it free.