Families lined up on U.S. 41 on Saturday in Naples during the sweltering Florida heat, but what had them smoking mad was not the August weather.
Instead, this group was steaming about the language on Florida's proposed Amendment 2 and what they say is public misinformation about this amendment on "medical" marijuana.
Shouting chants like "First pill mills, then pot shops, enough is enough, this has to stop!" the grassroots group, known as VoteNoOn2-Collier, is on a mission to inform voters about concerns on the proposed amendment, which will be considered by voters in November.
"We are asking people to vote no on 2," said Veora Little, VoteNoOn2-Collier Chair. "There are too many loopholes that essentially legalize marijuana for everyone, with no parental consent required for youth and no location restrictions for pot shops."
Her group consists of concerned parents, health care advocates and members of the faith community from around Southwest Florida.
"There is no need for Amendment 2 as Florida already has legitimate medicine extracted from the marijuana plant, but that is not known by most voters." said Little, a retired registered nurse anesthetist. Little cited Marinol, which is already available in Florida's pharmacies and is used to stimulate appetite and control nausea in cancer and HIV patients, and Charlotte's Web, a form of low-dose THC recently approved by Governor Rick Scott.
She pointed out that marijuana under Amendment 2 does not require a prescription from a doctor and the words "other conditions" lead to pot for even mild conditions such as headaches, as seen in other states.
"Amendment 2 sets up an unregulated pot shop system and permits even felons and drug dealers to be distributors," noted Little, "That means thousands of pot shops in neighborhoods throughout Florida, which is a far cry from what the voters believe they are getting."
A mother at the rally expressed frustration at the poll numbers, saying they are misleading, "Most people I talk to who are in favor of Amendment 2 quickly change their mind when they learn the details. Out-of state pot profiteers have descended on Florida, and declared it a 'done deal' that pot is going to be legalized here. We are saying 'not so fast'.
