Update: Pam Bondi Wrong On Medical Marijuana
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is already on the wrong side of history by opposing medical marijuana.
It will be interesting to see which other Republicans and Democrats follow her.
Medical marijuana will be on the ballot in Florida this year after the state Supreme Court okayed it today.
Pam Bondi: No Wonder They Nickname Her “Blondi”
A Quinnipiac University poll released two months ago found that 88 percent of Floridians – a vast majority of Republicans, Democrats and independents – favored passage of the medical marijuana amendment.
It is no wonder the support is overwhelming when you read the list of conditions that medical marijuana would be used to relieve. This is directly from the amendment:
“Debilitating Medical Condition” means cancer, glaucoma,
positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple
sclerosis or other conditions
for which a physician believes that the
medical use of marijuana would outweigh the potential health risks.
Almost everybody knows somebody who is a victim of one of those conditions. Being older, I unfortunately know many.
I would like Pam Bondi and the rest of those War-On-Drugs Dinosaurs look at victims of these conditions. Then Bondi and the Neanderthals should tell the elderly and sick why they should be deprived of medical marijuana.
I have a better idea.
Pam Bondi needs a new photo op to sell her anti-medical marijuana position.
She needs to go to Moffitt Cancer Center. She needs to tell patients why they can get Oxycodone, one of the most abused drugs in history, but they shouldn’t get medical marijuana. I would love to see that one on camera.
Battling a tough race for re-election which promises to be close, it is doubtful Gov. Rick Scott will spend much time opposing an amendment that is supported by so many.
Scott told the Associated Press: “I have a great deal of empathy for people battling difficult diseases and I understand arguments in favor of this initiative. But having seen the terrible effects of alcohol and drug abuse first-hand, I cannot endorse sending Florida down this path and I would personally vote against it. No matter my personal beliefs, however, a ballot initiative would be up to the voters to decide.”
So Scott will stick to his theme of jobs, jobs, jobs.
After the Supreme Court decision, Scott’s opponent Charlie Crist called medical marijuana it an issue of compassion, trusting doctors, and trusting the people of Florida. I will vote for it.”
Pam Bondi, who tried to block the amendment in court and was supported by the GOP Leadership of the Legislature, didn’t exactly embrace the Supreme Court ruling:
“I encourage every Floridian to read the full amendment in order to understand the impact it could have on Floridians,” she said.
No surprise.
Bondi is a believer in the multi-billions in wasted dollars fighting the decades-old, losing War On Drugs. She believes in locking up folks, mostly blacks, for simple possession is the answer to drug abuse.
No wonder she is nicknamed “Blondi” in Tallahassee!
Bondi’s views on medical marijuana are part of the past.
Unfortunately, voters will re-elect Pam Bondi in the fall…unless the Ds can get traction with this issue. It is a possibility.
Regardless of Bondi’s fate, voters will reject her stand on medical marijuana. They will take Bondi’s ideas about medical marijuana and shovel them into the dustbin of history where they belong.
XXXXX
Here are the news releases from the two Democrats opposing Pam Bondi’s re-election this year:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 27
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2014
CONTACT: Mark Hollis
(850) 488-9622
House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston Statement
On Florida Supreme Court Approval of Medical Marijuana Amendment
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston (D-Fort Lauderdale) issued the following statement in response to today’s Florida Supreme Court ruling that ballot language for a proposed constitutional amendment meets state requirements:
“I think the public deserves an opportunity to vote on the issue of legalizing marijuana for medical use. I happen to think the public would be much better served by changing the law to allow law enforcement to concentrate on violent criminals, not clamping down on senior citizens in wheelchairs, parents of babies with cystic fibrosis and others whose doctors are helping them combat the suffering of serious illnesses like Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
“The prescription of medical cannabis should be a matter decided between doctors and patients. The extreme efforts by Republican legislative leaders like Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and others to block voters from deciding this matter has been inappropriate. Florida needs political leaders who won’t prohibit the people from having their say.”
###
January 27th, 2014 at 4:12 pm
will PTSD, Bi Polar or other disabling mental disorders be covered?
January 27th, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Mike Satz is her Broward counterpart – he also believes “locking up folks, mostly blacks, for simple possession is the answer to drug abuse.” Or maybe he thinks it’s the answer to some other question…
January 27th, 2014 at 4:56 pm
I am a cancer patient who is denied the use of medical marijuana by people like Pam Bondi. I wish she could spend just one day in my shoes.
January 27th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
Hello constitutional amendment, Good-bye Scott.
If Republican led state Representatives and Senators had their pulse on the public’s wishes, THEY would have enacted this into law last year.
Instead, compassionate independents and liberals will flood the voting booths to pass this, and will vote for Crist for Guv. too.
btw—who’s running against Blondi?
FROM BUDDY: The Democrats running against Bondi include former state Rep. George Sheldon of the Tampa Bay area and House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation.
January 27th, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Whenever the citizenry has voted on legalizing marijuana, it has failed.
Then, someone in the pot movement got a bright idea. It was decided that the marijuana movement would be rebranded. It was decided to place the word “medical” in front of “marijuana” on the ballot. And, viola! People voted for “Medical Marijuana”, because uh, eh it was medicine after all.
We are told that people need to toke to ease their suffering. Soon, sore knees, headaches, back problems, fear of open spaces triggered the need to get high (wink, wink).
One thing is never mentioned in the medical marijuana discussion: there is a simple pill one could take which delivers all of the benefits of lighting up.
Ah, but the pot movement doesn’t like the pill. They say that big pharm. companies will drive the price up for the pills.
I can appreciate the need for a cancer patient to take a marijuana pill for pain. It is just the requirement for lighting up that gives me the good chuckle.
January 27th, 2014 at 11:57 pm
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/medical-marijuana-to-go-to-ballot-florida-supreme-court-rules/2162912
[Governor Rick]Scott said he would oppose the [Florida Supreme Court approved medical marijuana] amendment. “I have a great deal of empathy for people battling difficult diseases and I understand arguments in favor of this initiative,” Scott said in a news release. “But, having seen the terrible effects of alcohol and drug abuse first-hand, I cannot endorse sending Florida down this path.”
January 28th, 2014 at 2:26 am
Great legal decision by the Florida Supreme Court. I too will vote and work for passage of the “Medical Marijuana Amendment”.
January 28th, 2014 at 7:15 am
In Arizona, 75% of people on medical marijuana are males between the ages of 19 and 39 either pain of unknown origen. It’s an excuse to use a drug that is federally illegal. The way it is written in Florida, we will find it being prescribed by chiropractors and podiatrists. It will abused and marijuana dispensaries will replace pill mills.
January 28th, 2014 at 7:42 am
One of the reasons Republicans are against the Amendment is because they are afraid that liberals, and independents who may support it, will come out in force to vote on this issue.
If true, it should increase support for democratic candidates and hurt republicans running for re-election, like the Governor. Especially if the candidate is against the Amendment.
Best thing the Republicans could do is concede the issue and hope that while the Amendment passes, they won’t cause to energize their opposition to show up to vote.
But that’s unlikely. So see a lot of money thrown at a lost cause and see turnout that Republicans don’t want to see.
Did anyone say “voter suppression” lately? Bet that’s going to be big again.
January 28th, 2014 at 9:47 am
Pam Bondi continues to tip at windmills & waste Florida $$$ fighting issues supported by a majority of Floridians. Worst AG ever.
January 28th, 2014 at 11:05 am
Because of this issue, voter turnout in 2014 will be greater. A lot of folks who normally skip midterms won’t this time. That’s not good news for incumbents.
Marijuana will be legal in all 50 states by the year 2025. And I don’t mean the medical kind.
Some day, I’ll be telling my grandkids about the days when marijuana was illegal, just like my grandparents use to tell me about prohibition.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:07 pm
Everybody is on the wrong side of something every once in a while. Except for Charlie Crist. He is always on all sides of all questions. Like when he took pride in the name “Chain Gang Charlie”. Or when he supported the ban on gay marriage. (“It’s the right thing to do”, he said). Or when as Governor he refused to stop the state ban on gay adoption.
Yes, the only way of always being “right” is to be a Windsock. Like Charlie “the Windsock” Crist.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:47 pm
“Some day, I’ll be telling my grandkids about the days when marijuana was illegal, just like my grandparents use to tell me about prohibition.”
Grandparents? Eh, don’t you mean your older brother?
January 29th, 2014 at 8:43 am
Buddy summed it up nicely. “She needs to tell patients why they can get Oxycodone, one of the most abused drugs in history, but they shouldn’t get medical marijuana.”
January 29th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
THis is the same Att.gen. who put an execution on hold so she could hold a fund-raiser. Her. Scott, Putnam, Atwater all need to go. This is the same bunch who sit on the clemency bd. who after putting applicants through Hell, then are now (wait) processing clemency applications from 2005. Forget about being five(5) yrs. behind they are now nine(9) yrs behind. Shameful. You except her to endorse medical pot-she don’t care. She will care when the ACLU is done w/ this bunch. This is a delibrate delay of due process and as an activist I will not stand for this. I have requested all 16thou that Dr.Snipes has taken away their voting rights to submit to the “ACLU”. We will call all 16thou of us the “Felony Warriors”. We will shit on your lawn guys…….
January 29th, 2014 at 10:00 pm
“It’s all just a medical scam”, you have ZERO clue as to what you say. As for hopefully our soon to be FORMER Governor, last I checked alcohol and many other elicit drugs are manufactured where as marijuana is grown and dried naturally. Dud needs to go away.
January 31st, 2014 at 7:47 pm
I mean….It’s just a plant for Crist’s sake.
February 4th, 2014 at 3:16 pm
Great article. We have another name for Pam Bondi. Seeing that she wants to lock everyone up, AND deny them the right to vote after they have completed their sentence, we think that the appropriate name for her is:
Pam Bondage