Never mind the polls, they could be old news. People United for Medical Marijuana is fighting back.
The political committee looking to legalize medical cannabis received a substantial cash infusion between Oct. 4 and Oct. 10, hauling in $552,511 -- enough to keep ads for the pro-Amendment 2 campaign rolling. The fight needs even more money, Ben Pollara, campaign manager for United for Care, said Monday. But he is feeling positive.
In an email to supporters of the ballot initiative, Pollara said, "There's been a lot of poll talk these days. In public polls there's literally a 19 percent swing between the highest and lowest. Here's what I know: Our own internal data currently put us above the 60 percent we need to win."
Speaking of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, Pollara said, "We knew, when a billionaire got into the race and dumped millions on the No on 2 side, we would take a hit -- and we did. But as it turns out, his money didn't go as far as they thought it would. We're still winning."
Even if Pollara's internal data turn out to be incorrect, with success in the late fundraising blitz, Yes on 2 now has the money for an eleventh hour offensive.
According to a News Service of Florida brief, Amendment 2 "has run into well-funded opposition from a political committee known as the 'Drug Free Florida Committee,' which had raised about $4.74 million as of Oct. 10. A Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9/UF Bob Graham Center poll released last week indicated that support for the ballot proposal had slipped to 48 percent, far below the 60 percent needed to amend the state Constitution."
Emphasized Pollara, "I'm not going to be coy about this: This is going to be a close race and we need everyone supportive of Amendment 2 and medical marijuana to come out and vote."
Meanwhile, some South Florida cities are getting tough on the marijuana industry even before its fate at the polls is known.
In Broward County, Coconut Creek and Lighthouse Point have given at least initial approval to moratoriums that will stop businesses that grow, sell or dispense medical pot from opening for six months to a year, according to a weekend story in the Sun Sentinel.
Pembroke Pines and Deerfield Beach commissioners soon will consider similar proposals to delay businesses from opening; and Cooper City and Plantation went even further: They have given initial approval to an outright ban on marijuana businesses.
It's not a rejection of medical marijuana in theory, Cooper City commissioners said.
"We're in opposition to it being sold, grown or transported here," Commissioner James Curran told the Sun Sentinel. "That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to keep it out of our city, not grown in our fields, not sold in our stores, not distributed in our pharmacies."
City officials are simply trying to get a jump on the Nov. 4 election, in the event Amendment 2 passes.
Legislators and the Department of Health haven't completed their work on the rules, say city officials, so it's just too hard to tell how many dispensaries will be headed their way and where the businesses would open their doors.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
