I've recently noticed that Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the\nDemocratic National Committee and a Florida representative, stands in\nopposition to medical-marijuana adoption in Florida, but 58 percent of\nthe state voted in support of a 2014 medical-marijuana bill. Florida\nrequires a 60-percent majority to pass the bill, so widespread medical\nmarijuana is not legal yet in this state. Even though I know medical\nmarijuana can treat a wide range of conditions, Florida only permits\nlimited use for cancer patients and those with epilepsy and Lou Gehrig's\ndisease. These medical marijuana users are restricted to a single strain\ncalled Charlotte's Web, which is administered as a low-THC cannabis oil.\nThe issue goes up for a vote again in November 2016, according to the\nObserver,\nbut Schultz is taking measures to prevent the bill from passing again.
\nDebbie Wasserman Schultz's Position on Marijuana
\nSchultz holds a position that marijuana dispensaries over-prescribe and\nover-treat patients. She used the term \"pill mills\" to describe\ndispensaries during her opposition to the 2014 Florida bill. She has a\nstrong belief that legalizing \"mind-altering\" substances such as\nmarijuana lead to further drug use. Sun Times\nreports\nSchultz is worried about a \"huge heroin epidemic\" in Florida, but I've\nfound no evidence supporting this claim. She says she felt bothered by\nthe drug culture she encountered where she grew up in Long Island.\nHowever, I discovered that Schultz grew up in an affluent neighborhood\nin the region, so the basis of her life experience is uncertain.
\nStill, she avoided questions asking why she was not opposed to\nopiate-painkiller prescriptions on the same grounds. I see the gateway\ntheory frequently used by opponents of medical marijuana, but science\nhas debunked this position since 1999. A Congress\nreport found no link between\nmarijuana use and harder drug use. However, there is a strong link\nbetween opiate-painkiller prescriptions and moving into harder drugs.\nThese painkillers can lead to addiction, many negative medical side\neffects and a tendency to try drugs such as heroin.
\nSchultz receives significant campaign contributions from alcohol\ncompanies, according to High\nTimes,\nsuch as Bacardi USA and Southern Wine and Spirits. Alcohol and tobacco\ncompanies are strongly opposed to marijuana legalization and\ndecriminalization, based on perceived revenue loss. These contributors\nmay influence Schultz's position on medical marijuana. She stands in\nopposition to many other Democrats on this matter, which has led to some\nconfusion about her motives.
\nThe Benefits of Medical Marijuana
\nMedical-marijuana access can bring many benefits to Florida residents if\nthe 2016 bill gains approval.\nHelloMD conducted\na survey to find out how medical-marijuana patients benefited from\nlegalization. The typical conditions treated with marijuana include\nanxiety,\nstress,\ninsomnia\nand chronic\npain, but\nmany conditions respond well to this treatment method. In fact, 84\npercent of\npatients reported\nimprovements in their symptoms and had limited negative side effects.\nPatients mentioned beneficial side effects, such as better moods and\nsleep, compared to using other treatment options.
\nOther medications used to treat these conditions often come with many\ndetrimental side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, mood swings and\nconstipation. Non-medical marijuana patients sometimes face a situation\nwhere they're taking a primary medication to treat a problem; then they\ntake supplementary medication to manage the many side effects. Medical\nmarijuana's lack of negative side effects helps avoid this situation and\nhelps patients achieve positive medical outcomes.
\nOne of the biggest benefits of treating chronic pain and other pain\nconditions with medical marijuana is the decrease of pain-killer related\ndeaths. Opiate painkiller overdoses kill 44 people\ndaily, but\ncannabis has not caused any overdose-related deaths.
\nWays Florida Voters Can Support Medical Marijuana
\nThe next medical-marijuana bill goes on the Florida ballot in November\n2016 as Amendment 2. I recommend Florida voters take several steps to\ngrow support for the medical-marijuana amendment so that it passes into\nlaw. Opponents of the amendment such as Schultz put considerable effort\ninto preventing medical-marijuana adoption, but here are some ways that\nvoters can get more attention and support:
\nShowing up to vote for Amendment 2 is one of the most important ways to\nsupport medical marijuana in Florida. Voter turnout may be higher than\naverage due to the Senate race, so every vote counts. Another way\nFlorida voters can help is by contributing to medical-marijuana\ncampaigns helping to build awareness on the benefits and advantages of\nlegalization. United For Care is one\nsuch organization building support for Amendment two in Florida.
\nFlorida voters with the time to volunteer can help these organizations\nwith more hands-on methods like collecting petitions, getting on the\nphone to build support and encourage voting, staffing medical-marijuana\nawareness events, doing door-to-door canvassing or assisting in\nadministrative work. Voters can also write to their representatives to\nfind out their medical-marijuana positions and learn whether they're for\nor against the measure.
\nMedical marijuana treats many conditions that currently require\nmedication with opiates or prescriptions with many negative side\neffects. More states are legalizing marijuana and taking advantage of\nthe benefits it brings to patients. Florida has another chance to pass a\nmedical-marijuana amendment in 2016, but it requires voter effort to\novercome opposition by Schultz and others standing against the bill.\nShe's on the wrong side of the issue, but I know the popular vote can\nchange the medical-marijuana landscape in this state.
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