Uber trial lawyer and medical marijuana supporter John Morgan made his way to the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday, speaking at the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club in St. Petersburg about the future of legalizing medical pot in Florida.
Morgan, who appeared in front of a crowd of around 100 people, has been a staunch advocate of Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana in the Sunshine State. Morgans suppport is so fervent hes funneled over $4 million of his own money into the pro-amendment campaign, which urges voters to vote yes on medical marijuana come Nov. 4.
Its as simple as this: It works, he told the Tiger Bay Club. I dont know why it works ... it just works, and it works for people that are really, really sick.
The Orlando-based lawyer brought his own personal story to the Tiger Bay Club, speaking about several family members who have witnessed the benefits of the drug firsthand. Morgan has said repeatedly that their experiences are what propelled him to fight for the legalization of medical marijuana.
His father, who suffered from cancer and emphysema, used the drug to deal with pain at the end of his life. Morgan said his father, a man who generally scorned drug use, was surprised at the relief he felt when using the drug.
"He looked at me and said ... 'My God, this (expletive) works, Morgan explained.
Morgans disabled brother, Tim, a quadriplegic, also uses the drug for pain management -- a story he tells repeatedly while pushing the amendment.
Morgan took shots at opponents of the amendment who say it will lead to de facto legalization of the drug.
They say that because they dont have a good argument against it, so they just make it up, he said.
He also denounced current marijuana laws, calling their creation a result of the 1930s movie Reefer Madness which propagandized the dangers of marijuana.
"Our drug laws are based on that one man who saw 'Reefer Madness' and freaked out about it, he said, later calling the Food and Drug Administration (which regulates prescription drugs and medication) crooks.
Morgan has been hitting the road this week, traveling by bus to universities across the state to hold rallies in support of Amendment 2. By reaching out to young voters, Morgan hopes to fire them up on the issue and get them to the polls.
In September, Morgan attracted attention for a profanity-laced speech in which he told the audience:
"You lazy pieces of you-know-what, if you (expletive) don't get out and vote, (expletive) it all, we can't win."
On Wednesday, Morgan said he wasnt going to shy away from explicit speeches.
"You'll see me give X-rated speeches, he told the crowd, defending himself. I've got a different speech for every audience."
Ultimately, Morgan said he was trying to get the amendment passed because it was the right thing to do.
I believe if God gives you this [opportunity] ... you have a duty to give back, he explained. So, this is my time.
Reach Tampa-based reporter Allison Nielsen via email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen
