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Empowering People




          The right to be part of                       Mel Sembler step in to fund   of the legislature did they pass any laws.   reform. Ballot initiatives are vital to mak-
        the democratic process is                       the fight against medical   They are continuing to deny the will of   ing sure that our legislature understands
        something that makes                            marijuana. These people   the people, despite 71% of the people in   that if they do not act that they do not
        America a great country.                        then influenced the current   Florida voting yes on Amendment 2.   protect the patience and institute the will
        Controversies    over                           law our legislator passed.   They have continued their reign   of the people that the people themselves
        reform have existed since                       We may not have the ability   throughout the 2018 legislative session   will rise up and will pass an initiative
        the beginning, the demo-                        of the millions of dollars to   despite facing approximately a dozen   that do.
        cratic process allows the                       influence politicians, but we   lawsuits, and continuing to lose and   We must push this issue through all
        laws and acceptable                             do have the power of the   spend the tax payer dollars to defend   methods, voting, supporting candidates,
        norms in society to                             people. This election season   against the will of the people. The ballot   lawsuits and ballot initiatives.
        evolve. The same is true                        the cannabis community    initiative dictates to the legislature and   If you believe in this movement and
        with cannabis, yet there                        needs to come together    would immediately give people the right   want to ensure patients have access to
        is still much work to be                        behind candidates who sup-  to cultivate. We must start planning for   medical marijuana and want to support
        done. We can choose      MICHAEL C. MINARDI     port this issue and get them   the future we must get organized and   people who choose cannabis, please join
        right not to make sure it                       elected to make sure that   active NOW, not tomorrow or next year.   Regulate Florida, NORML of Florida,
        happens sooner rather than later. We are   our interests are not only represented at   That is why Regulate Florida, a ballot ini-  and the Cannabis Executive Committee.
        winning on multiple fronts, public opin-  the ballot box but also in the legislature.   tiative for adults use is so important, at a   These organizations are dedicated to
        ion, science, and the proof in other   No prohibition without representation.   minimum it would give people the right   making sure the voters are educated for
        robust cannabis markets. Where we are   It's about time the patients and people   to grow and smoke cannabis, and it   this election season and that we put peo-
        losing is in the legislature, and we have   who use this plant because they choose   would clearly require a horizontal mar-  ple in to the legislature that support the
        the ability to change that. The question is   to do so or need to do so for medical pur-  ket and it would instantly solve problems   will of the people and the expansion in
        how? For those of us in the cannabis   poses make these candidates take a   we are currently having under the cur-  the right of people to use this plant.
        industry this election year is shaping up   stand. There are many ways that we can   rent amendment. This right through a
        to be hugely important for how this   do this NORML of Florida, has released   ballot initiative is not something we   Michael Mindardi, Esq., Minardi Law, can
        industry is shaped in the state of Florida.   candidate grades on cannabis, the   should take for granted, but something   be reached at Michael@MinardiLaw.com or
        As Floridians we are lucky to have mul-  Cannabis Executive Committee, newly   we should make sure we have hanging                 (813) 995-8227.
        tiple ways that we can influence policy.    launched, to bring together those who   over their head to further influence
          We enter an election year where the   support expanding and opening up the
        main concern of voters are the economy,   cannabis industry. The legislature is
        immigration, gun control, the environ-  against everyone's interests, and this leg-
        ment and health care. Cannabis and   islative session they will probably work
        hemp as cash crops have shown to be the   on preventing hemp CBD companies and
        boost many states have need to be back   an open horizontal market form existing.
        on track, reductions in health care costs,   They will continue to prevent access and
        prescription drug deaths, less violent   companies from making edibles and real-
        crime, and increase in tourism and tax   ly the proliferation of this plant that vot-
        dollars are all seen time and time again in   ers approved. Only with placing the right
        legal states. We can and should have that   people in office and supporting organiza-
        in Florida.                          tions that can support them with greater
          The problem is, unfortunately, our leg-  breadth will we be able to make sure that
        islators who get elected are those that   this industry evolves the way the voters
        have certain ideologies that are support-  believed this industry would.
        ed by people with big money, big money   The second way we have to change
        as against us. Like an Arizona when their   policy is with a ballot initiative for a vote
        adult use petition was on their ballot   on a constitutional amendment. Only in
        they had big pharma step in, here in   years where we have had a ballot initia-
        Florida we had Drug Free America and   tive for cannabis hanging over the heads



































        South Florida Hospital News                                                              southfloridahospitalnews.com                                                      September 2018                         35
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