Ballot Breakdown: Pros, Cons Of Medical Marijuana In Florida

Floridians will soon have their chance to vote on Amendment 2, a medical marijuana initiative that would allow THC products alongside the CBD products already available for medical marijuana patients. Those opposing marijuana legalization seem unaware that Florida already has an operating medical marijuana program with warehouses full of cannabis and ill patients buying medicine. Amendment 2 is only an expansion on the qualifying conditions and available products for patients. In 2014, 57% of Floridians voted yes on an amendment that was similar to this year's, falling short of the 60% needed to pass. If this year's Amendment passes, Doctors will be able to prescribe marijuana after roughly 9 months. An estimated 2,000 shops selling medical marijuana would be regulated by the state.

If the amendment passes you could expect:
-Patients with Cancer, Parkinson’s, MS, ALS, AIDS, and PTSD to be eligible to use marijuana
-Doctors would be allowed to prescribe marijuana within nine months.
-The state would regulate shops selling marijuana. Early estimates show there could be as many as 2,000 of them.

Pollara said, “I don’t think most people will see any change. Sick people will get the medicine that they need without having to be criminals. Maybe when you are on South Beach instead of a new tattoo parlor, you see a marijuana retail facility but I think by and large most people will see zero impact from this.”