Amendment 2 Foes Push Back Against Medical Marijuana Poll

The Dont Let Florida Go to Pot coalition claimed there were flaws in the misleading Quinnipiac poll released on Monday which shows Floridians overwhelmingly backing medical marijuana in the Sunshine State, noting it does not touch on Amendment 2 which will be on the November ballot.

The coalition released the following statement:

Sadly, the Quinnipiac poll released today continues to poll Floridians with general questions that they are more likely to support. The poll fails at its one job: to ask about Floridas actual Amendment 2. This poll simply does not address the realities of this dangerous amendment.

Floridians will not be voting on whether their physician can prescribe marijuana. This amendment would allow storefront docs (similar to pot docs), with no relationship to patients, to simply recommend pot to anyone with even a slight ache. The poll also asks if people are OK with "a" dispensary in their community, yet Amendment 2 would allow unlimited pot shops in communities. The Department of Health estimates there will be close to 1,800 of these shops statewide. Clearly this poll had little to do with what Floridians will vote on in November.

If Floridians were given all the details about this amendment, the poll results would be drastically different. The most devastating details that Floridians should know include:

Pot for Anyone Loophole
Amendment 2 does not require a doctors prescription in order to obtain medical pot, because a prescription would violate federal law. Amendment 2 authors define debilitating medical condition as any condition from back pain to trouble sleeping. As a result, anyone who wants pot will get it.

Drug Dealer Loophole
Amendment 2 allows so-called caregivers to dispense medical pot. Caregivers do not need medical training. They can be felons -- even drug dealers. It will be easier to get a caregivers license than a drivers license. Caregivers can supply marijuana for up to five people and DOH estimates there will be 250,000 of them.

Teenager Loophole
Under Amendment 2, teens and children will be able to legally purchase pot without their parents consent. Amendment 2 places no age restrictions on pot smoking. Law enforcement officials in California and Colorado say most teens found with marijuana got it from someone with a medical card.

Pill Mill Loophole
Amendment 2 places no restrictions on the location of seedy pot shops. Like pill mills, look for pot docs to spring up next to restaurants, schools, churches and supermarkets.

The language of the amendment is broad and raises major concerns related to public safety. Floridians cannot be expected to support something that is incomplete, flawed and dangerous.