The Florida Supreme Court will be taking up an oral argument to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, according to an order posted to its website Wednesday. The court-ordered arguments will take place at 9 a.m. Dec. 8. Each side will have 20 minutes for oral arguments.
Earlier this month, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote a letter to the Supreme Court asking for a review of the constitutional amendment's validity.
A similar amendment was proposed and put on the ballot in 2014, but it did not gather enough votes to pass. Attorney General Bondi was fervently opposed to the amendment, saying its language was “misleading” and would put Florida in conflict with federal law.
People United for Medical Marijuana (United For Care), a group backed by Orlando attorney John Morgan, has since been gathering petitions to try and put the amendment back on the ballot in 2016. The petition to get medical marijuana back on the ballot for 2016 has quickly gained momentum in Florida, with United For Care collecting over 286,000 valid signatures as of Wednesday. In order for the amendment to be put on the ballot in 2016, United For Care must gather a little over 683,000 signatures.
In August, the group passed the threshold of signatures required for a Supreme Court review.
United For Care’s constitutional amendment petition 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.
Medical pot would only be allowed for use for those with “debilitating” medical conditions which 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.
John Morgan has once again pledged to remain committed to getting the amendment passed in Florida, offering to give nine times the amount of any contribution to the petition drive to pass medical pot in Florida. As of Monday, the group had gathered $23,000 of its $150,000 goal.
“Make no mistake – I will do what I can to alleviate the pain of those suffering – and make sure those that are responsible for this delay feel pain politically,” he said in a statement.
If Florida legalized medical marijuana, it would join 23 other states including the District of Columbia to allow medical pot.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, recently filed legislation (HB 307) for the 2016 regular legislative session which would allow terminally ill patients to obtain medical marijuana to help deal with pain. Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, is taking up a similar measure in the Senate.
The two lawmakers are no strangers to passing bills on medical pot -- last year, the duo worked together to pass a bill which would allow some patients to get non-euphoric medical cannabis to help deal with ailments like epilepsy.
Reach Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestastenews.com
