TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Marty Monroe credits medical marijuana for getting her through the toughest moments of cancer. She and other advocates want Florida patients to have the option to use medical marijuana if it’s prescribed by their doctor.
Amendment 2, on the Nov. 4 ballot, would legalize the use of medical marijuana in Florida. Monroe went through seven rounds of chemotherapy and says the herb helped her body recover so she could continue with her treatment.
“You can just call me a criminal,” she says. “It was criminal activity, but I had compassionate friends that cared enough about me that wanted to help me get through that next round of chemo.”
A recent University of Florida poll found 48 percent of Floridians support the constitutional amendment, which is just shy of the 60 percent needed for it to pass. So far 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, and advocates say it’s been shown to be effective for the symptoms and side effects of cancer, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, glaucoma and chronic pain, among others.
Opponents are concerned about the abuse of medical marijuana by people who don’t have a medical need.
Ben Pollara, director of United for Care and People United for Medical Marijuana- the PAC supporting the Amendment – says saying “yes” to Amendment 2 is about compassion for people who are sick.
“People are sick and suffering and dying in the state of Florida and medical marijuana may be able to help them,” he says. “If their doctors recommend they use it, they should be able to do so without them having to fear arrest.”
Monroe says she finds it ironic the people fighting against an herb are comfortable with the toxins involved in traditional cancer treatment.
“It just amazes me how these people are so whacked out over an herb and really don’t care about the chemicals they’re pumping my body with to quote ‘cure us,'” she says.
Supporters of medical marijuana point out no one has ever died of a ‘marijuana overdose,’ and the herb offers relief from nausea, appetite loss, eye pressure in the case of glaucoma, a reduction in muscle spasms, and relief from chronic pain.
