Florida AG Pam Bondi Seeks To Derail Medical Marijuana Ballot Initiative

By: |Published on: Oct 29, 2013|Categories: Action Alerts, Drug War|

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi took her party’s cold war mentality to the Florida Supreme Court this week.

Bondi is challenging the People United for Medical Marijuana ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana.

“If the amendment passed, Florida law would allow marijuana in limitless situations,” Bondi wrote. “Any physician could approve marijuana for seemingly any reason to seemingly any person (of any age) — including those without any ‘debilitating disease.’ So long as a physician held the opinion that the drug use ‘would likely outweigh’ the risks, Florida would be powerless to stop it.”

Bondi also questions the amendment language in that it does not mention that marijuana usage is a violation of federal law.

Bondi’s membership in the federal supremacists club in Tallahassee is a growing concern for many in Florida. The Constitution gives the federal government no authority to legislate for or against marijuana. In addition, it seems Bondi has not read the US Attorney General Eric Holder’s directive to his agency. Highlighted in that memo are the following points: 1) no minors, 2) no gangs, 3) no diversion to places where it isn’t legal or decriminalized, 4) no activity unauthorized by state law, 5) no guns, 6) no driving while under the influence, 7) no grows on public land, 8) no possession on federal property. In that memo Holder also reveals a major weakness in federal prosecution of marijuana laws- “”the federal government has traditionally relied on states and local law enforcement agencies to address marijuana activity through enforcement of their own narcotics laws.”

AG Bondi appears intent on also ignoring the feds looking at ways to make banking easier for marijuana entrepreneurs. Banks want their share of this lucrative and growing market and as everyone knows, banks are not without their influence on Capitol Hill. Their desire for marijuana profits all but insures the marijuana war is over save for a few skirmishes here and there for appearance sake.

Like most Florida Republicans in office, Bondi clings to mythology when it comes to marijuana, believing marijuana use leads to heroin, cocaine or meth addictions. Perhaps also shading Bondi’s motives is the sponsor of the marijuana initiative—People United For Medical Marijuana. PUFMM’s founder, Kim Russel still maintains an active role in the organization but has turned over chairmanship to John Morgan, one of the state’s most influential attorneys and activists. Morgan’s statewide trial attorney firm, Morgan and Morgan is also the employer of former Republican governor and now likely Democratic challenger to Governor Rick Scott, Charlie Crist.

Ben Pollara, campaign manager for statewide campaign for People United, remains confident that the ballot language is sound and that the court will agree. Pollara also believes Bondi is playing politics for the FLGOP with her opposition.

“It is not surprising that out of touch Tallahassee politicians like Pam Bondi continue to oppose compassionate health care policy in Florida,” stated Pollara, whose group is called United For Care. “Just as politicians in the Florida Legislature refused to even give medical marijuana a hearing in the 2013 session, AG Bondi wants to deny Floridians the opportunity to even vote on this issue.”

Hundreds of thousands of Floridians are suffering who could be helped if and when Florida enacted sensible medical marijuana laws. You can contact Pam Bondi here and let her know it’s time for her think of those whose suffering can be eased instead of condemning them to a continued life of pain.

What you can do: Sign the petition to get this amendment on the ballot at https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/725470-medical-marijuana-petition.html

Get involved! Follow the four simple action steps provided here http://tracking.tenthamendmentcenter.com/

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