Medical Marijuana Update

With all eyes on the November elections, it's pretty quiet on the medical marijuana front. Minors get admitted to the program in Connecticut, and, speaking of the elections, we have news from Florida.

Last Thursday, minors became eligible to qualify for medical marijuana. Under changes in the state's medical marijuana system that went into effect this week, minors with certain specified conditions can now enroll in the program. Those conditions include cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, irreversible spinal cord injury with intractable spasticity, severe epilepsy, intractable seizure disorders, and terminal illness.

Florida

On Monday, money was flowing into the state over the medical marijuana initiative. Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson kicked in another $500,000 in the last week of September to help defeat the Amendment 2 medical marijuana initiative. That brings Adelson's total for the campaign to $1.5 million. He kicked in $5.5 million to defeat a similar proposal in 2014. All told, the opposition raised $560,000 in the last week of September. Meanwhile, Amendment 2 backers took in $1.07 million in the same period, all but $7,000 from the New Approach PAC. Florida attorney John Morgan has also kicked in $2.3 million of his own money. The no side spent more than $700,000 last week, mainly on TV ads, while the yes side spent $326,000.

On Wednesday, a new poll had the initiative winning big. A new poll from the Public Opinion Research Laboratory at the University of North Florida has more than three-out-four likely voters supporting the Question 2 medical marijuana initiative. The poll had support at 77%. The initiative needs 60% to win because it is a constitutional amendment.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]