Medical marijuana is not medicine -- at least that’s what Drug Free Florida is saying in its latest ad.
The 30-second clip released Thursday opens with a prescription called Marinol, which Drug Free Florida says offers the same benefits as medical marijuana.
Marinol is a pharmaceutical tetrahydrocannabinol, a drug which contains the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis.
The ad then goes on to slam medical marijuana for not being regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and for not being prescribed by a doctor.
Amendment 2, the group says, is a “scam” which would make medical marijuana legal and allow patients to take medical advice from
“You don’t smoke medicine,” the ad says, while flashes of young people smoking marijuana flash on the screen.
There are some differences between Marinol and regular cannabis. Marinol only uses THC. The drug takes over an hour to reach its full effect while smoked or vaporized cannabis can be felt within a matter of seconds or minutes. Marinol is commonly used in treating HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients and people going through chemotherapy.
The ad is the latest in the fight against Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana in Florida for patients with “debilitating conditions.”
Conditions covered under the amendment would include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, and for other conditions which a physician feels using medical marijuana would outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.
Medical marijuana could only be prescribed by a licensed physician. The amendment would allow for the medical use of marijuana by a qualifying patient or caregiver. It would also prohibit physicians from being subject to criminal or civil liabilities under Florida law for issuing a prescription for medical marijuana.
This isn’t the first time Drug Free Florida has gone on the offensive over medical marijuana. The group ran a successful campaign against the amendment in 2014, when the amendment failed to receive the 60 percent necessary to pass. It only garnered 58 percent of the vote.
Supporters of the amendment say it’s desperately needed for patients seeking relief from their painful conditions, but opponents of the measure like Drug Free Florida worry it’s too risky, and say it will create a loophole allowing anyone, anywhere to get their hands on the drug.
Recent polls suggest Florida voters are overwhelmingly likely to pass the amendment, with nearly three-quarters of likely voters supporting the measure.
Voters will vote on the amendment during the general election on Nov. 8.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
View the ad below:
