Why You Should Vote Yes on 2
As both Trump and Clinton take aim on the battleground state of Florida, voters in the Sunshine state are growing more concerned over whether or not Amendment 2 will pass this time around. In 2014, Florida voters had the option to vote for the legalization of medical marijuana and it lost by a slim margin. Constitutional amendments in Florida must win by a super majority (60% or more). Fast forward to 2016 and Amendment 2 is back on the ballot and has caused some serious uproar among Floridians as they draw their lines in the sand on where they stand on the issue.
After watching the ballot initiative go up in smoke in 2014, Floridians hoped the legislature would be able to tackle this issue head on and pass legislation on the matter. With the exception of a bill passed allowing terminally ill patients access to medical marijuana, the Florida legislature has failed repeatedly to pass comprehensive legislation regarding medical marijuana.
For some, putting a medical marijuana clause into the state’s constitution undermines the main purpose of a constitution, which is to create a general structure for effective government. As such, the no-on-2 crowd believes the issue of medical marijuana should be dealt with by the legislature. They also argue that drug use will skyrocket among teens and crime will increase, but, for states where marijuana is legal, studies have shown the opposite effect. Washington State saw a decrease in violent crime and did not find an increase in marijuana use among teens, according to a report issued by the Drug Alliance Policy last July.
A recent poll by the Florida Chamber of Commerce found that 73 percent of likely voters endorse the measure. The overwhelming support for Amendment 2 is not shocking, because this ballot initiative promises to do more good than harm and provide relief for those who are in pain and suffering from cancer, Parkinson’s, MS, ALS, AIDS, and PTSD.
Amendment 2 is not a gateway initiative into full-scale drug use acceptance in the Sunshine State and, in order to find its way back onto the ballot, Amendment 2 underwent a facelift. The new and improved amendment clarifies not only who qualifies for medical marijuana use in the state of Florida, but United Care, the organization behind Amendment 2, defined what a debilitating medical condition is.
As it stands currently, medical marijuana with low levels of THC is already legal in Florida; however Amendment 2 would allow marijuana with THC, the chemical that gets people high, to become legal and accessible for those suffering from illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS and other debilitating medical conditions.
The choice of voting yes on 2 for some Floridians is difficult, but this amendment is not about granting Florida’s youth access to marijuana; it is about helping those who are sick and looking for relief. Unfortunately, Floridians have watched as medical marijuana has turned into a political football at the expense of a person’s quality of life.
Amendment 2 is a chance for voters to do their karma some good by helping those in need. Currently, a number of Floridians are counting on complete strangers to help them get the relief they need by voting yes on 2, after all, on November 8th there is al lot more at stake than electing a new president and putting an end to the chaos that will forever be known as the election of 2016.
Written for and published on Political Storm