All eyes have been on the presidential race in recent weeks, but for some Florida residents, there was something just as important on their ballots: a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana.
The constitutional amendment failed to pass in the 2014 election, and proponents of the amendment were on edge this time around awaiting the results. As the law stood, certain cancer patients or people with some seizure disorders could legally use non-smoked, low-THC cannabis for medical purposes, but legal use was limited to those very narrow conditions.
The proposed Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2, would allow physicians to prescribe medical marijuana for a much broader range of conditions, including glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Crohn’s Disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and:
“…Some other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated.”
Cancer and epilepsy would continue to be covered as well.
On November 8, 2016, Florida voters approved the amendment, with more than 60 percent of residents voting in favor of it.
It's finally time to declare Florida a #MedicalMarijuana state! Congratulations on passing #Amendment2! pic.twitter.com/eMXA1dwwaW
— Canna Law Blog (@CannaLawBlog) November 9, 2016
Welcome Relief for Residents Suffering from Pain
For some Florida residents, the amendment feels like a lifesaver. Michelle Hull of Avon Park has plenty of reason to be happy about the decision. he said:
“I’m excited about it for many reasons. Personally, I’ve got a spinal cord injury & have tried numerous different types of pain relief with mixed results. I’m looking forward to the option of a treatment that doesn’t cause more medical issues than it treats.”
“On a larger scale, pretty much everyone in my family has some sort of autoimmune issue with pain issues, and I am hopeful that it’ll help them with pain relief as well. My mom has MS and lupus, and I also have numerous friends who deal with chronic pain & medical issues and have exhausted their options in prescription medications. A few of us have a variety of complex GI issues that make taking the standard narcotic pain medications for musculoskeletal pain or anti-epileptic meds used for neuropathic pain more dangerous for us to take.”
https://twitter.com/SubmissiveSadie/status/796168766568677376
“It’s Giving Me My Life Back”
David Armstrong, of Fort Myers, was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at age 14. He is now 42, and says the disease has completely robbed him of his life. He tried pharmaceutical remedies before medical marijuana, but nothing worked:
“Azulfadize , prednisone, Humira, have all failed me. The Humira did put the Crohn’s into remission after one dose. But after 90 days, Humira caused debilitating joint and bone inflammation. The joint pain was so bad I could not walk. I can have remission but only at a severe cost.
A Trend Toward Legalization
Residents of Florida and across the United States have long been advocating for the passage of medical marijuana, citing both anecdotal evidence and physician studies that indicate that the plant can be helpful for treating a variety of debilitating conditions.
In a 2008 paper titled “Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana,” The American College of Physicians states that:
“Evidence not only supports the use of medical marijuana in certain conditions but also suggests numerous indications for cannabinoids.”
In addition to Florida, two other states, North Dakota and Arkansas, passed medical marijuana initiatives on Election Day. California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada voters approved recreational marijuana initiatives — good news for folks in those states who were left reeling from the results of the presidential race.
Featured Image: Drug Enforcement Agency Media Gallery.
