Many of us have been working hard to bring this choice to the citizens of Florida. Right now there is a bill up in Tallahassee and we ask that people contact their representatives and let them know we want this. Your contact will make a real difference.
Opponents say why not take Marinol? This drug is made with one small ingredient found in the plant and is lacking in many others that have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. As a matter of fact, the only ingredients in Marinol are the psychoactive THC (that makes people high) and sesame oil. It sells for $20 per pill (generic) and average dosing is 2-3 pills a day. I don't think very many people could afford that option, even when covered partly by insurance the cost is prohibitive. If one was allowed to grow a plant the cost per dose is about ,25.
There is so much information I could post here but am limited. Please check out this one article and for more information about how cannabis can help you and others and how we can make it happen please write to shadoseer1205@gmail.com.
http://www.cato-unbound.org/2011/11/07/paul-armentano/cannabis-impact-on-health-justifies-its-legalization-not-its-criminal-prohibition/

I have dual residency. I live in both FL & CA. For 40 years I stayed away from smoking marijuana, until a year ago, when I suffered a fatal blow to my spinal cord & vertebrae. Since my motorcycle accident in 1997, I had been on narcotics & muscle relaxants daily to stop the pain. I had found that smoking marijuana helped the pain. However because of my career, I was not allowed to smoke or ingest the herb because of drug testing for nurses. So I went to work in pain constantly, hoping not to fall down from the pain. NSAIDS & aspirin give me indigestion to the point of severe heartburn. So I decided to take a stand against taking OTC or Rx pain meds that helped one problem, only to cause others. So I, had asked my Orthopedic surgeon if he approved of me smoking or ingesting marijuana & he wrote me a letter to take to a local medical MJ physician. I also took my spinal mri's with me & was approved on the spot. My arthritis pain in my joints has lessened, as has the spinal cord pain. Nausea from the pain and from the narcotics is another thing I no longer suffer from because the medical MJ gets rid of spasms, pain & nausea with vomiting. Medical Marijuana can be ingested by preparing it in flour for baking, oils for salads, cold extracted into vegetable glycerin as a tincture, into alcohol for drinking or for rubbing into sore body parts & of course for smoking. I use a small vaporizer to smoke with for nausea. It cuts the coughing down by eliminating everything but thc.

I am a cancer survivor and a medical cannabis advocate. I have been collecting signatures for www.pufmm.org to put it to vote on the ballot for 2012. Diane and I did and interview for PBS on WEDU http://www.wedu.org/smarthealth/ .
We have also done interviews for a Documentary coming out in the spring. Please watch Irvin Rosenfelds plea to President Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU2idxd4tb0&feature=share
a lot of my signatures come from the older folks,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix08fz6F7P4&feature=share
disabled people, hospice nurses, City government, my Doctor and his staff of the last 20 years. Please take the time to watch the links Please feel free to contact me for further education on this.

Thank you for covering this issue. If you really want these laws to change people, make sure you are letting your representatives know to co-sponsor HJR 353 and SJR 1028!

we already know that marijuana is highly accessible and fairly cheap IF it's not listed as a controlled drug by the drug companies--I believe that marijuana should be legalized -taxed and the same rules set in place that cover tobacco and alcohol. This would be cost effective in so many ways-unjammed courts and jails-to say nothing of the tax revenue---we need to face the fact that Pot is here to stay-so take the money out of the drug dealers hands and give it to the people for a common good

I am amazed at how well informed the people are who made comments concerning legalizing medical marijuana. I am 70 years old and in chronic pain. I've never used marijuana but I think it should all be legal. Making something that is no worse than alcohol or cigarettes Illegal is just like the silly alcohol prohibition of the 1930's. Legalize it and the economy will be booming again and the drug pushers will be out of business.

the main opponents of legalizing marijuana will be the pharmaceutical companies because it will replace many of their expensive drugs and the companies CANNOT patent this being it is a natural substance--I'm 64 and have been around people from all economic levels who imbibe the jay and truth be known I'd much rather deal with a person smoking marijuana than I would a drunk-so let's get this legalized-and taxed-and free up the courts and jails for some real criminals

Great comments Linda and Phyllis! In over 20 other states medical cannabis is legal, or they are working on it. When approached about the subject our Representatives here in Pasco County say they are not hearing from their constituents. For the laws to be changed encourage those you know that support this to contact our Representatives. Tell them to support HJR 353 and SJR 1028.

I used to be prescribed Marinol however since my doctor has retired. I have fibromyalgia,degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, an arachnoid cyst, hepatitis C & full blown menopause. I have tried pain management and I really do not like the side effects of the oxy codone what so ever I would rather have my Marinol back. does anybody know where I can find the doctor in Pasco/ Hernando County area who prescribes herbal medicine. my pharmacy carries it they just won't tell me who prescribes it.