Democratic Florida House Representative Jeff Clemens of Lake Worth has put forth a referendum he and many Floridians would like to see on the ballot this November for the rest of Florida to vote: should medicinal marijuana be available in our state?
The Libertarian Party of Florida apparently thinks so along with the majority of seniors and a growing number of doctors now "coming out of the closet" on the issue. The measure would allow marijuana to be prescribed to patients in need of its healing benefits.
President Obama has gone back on his word of supporting the repeal of federal marijuana laws and contines to attempt to shut down the marijuana industries even though they are compliant with state law. Obama is usurping state law by utilizing the DEA and the IRS to shut down otherwise legal clinics offering help to legitimate patients. Interestingly, marijuana is now legal in Washington, D.C., where President Obama resides.
Today the Libertarian Party of Florida issued the following position paper on the Jeff Clemens bill:
The Libertarian Party of Florida, with 18,000 +/- registered voters in the State of Florida, believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous state, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.
Consequently, we defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power.
Cannabis has proven to be effective for medicinal purposes and should no longer be denied to Floridians. Though an easy argument could be made they are not actually denied the plant to ease their ailments, however they must obtain it illegally, making criminals out of patients. There are over 100 peer-reviewed studies on marijuana use[1]. In 2010, the AARP issued a bulletin stating seniors are using more marijuana to relieve nausea and other ailments[2].
Floridians have overdosed and died taking Aspirin however no one has died from using cannabis. From a health perspective, it would make better sense to make French Fries illegal than cannabis.
Support of putting this measure on the ballot for Floridians to vote this November is the correct action. It will help relieve our law enforcement to focus on real crime and will help move our state’s economy in a positive direction.
Drug prohibition does more to make Americans unsafe than any other factor. Just as alcohol prohibition gave us Al Capone and the mafia, drug prohibition has given us the Crips, the Bloods and drive-by shootings. Consider the historical evidence: America's murder rate rose nearly 70% during alcohol prohibition, but returned to its previous levels after prohibition ended. Now, since the War on Drugs began, America's murder rates have doubled. The cause/effect relationship is clear. Prohibition is putting innocent lives at risk.
What's more, drug prohibition also inflates the cost of drugs, leading users to steal to support their high priced habits. It is estimated that drug addicts commit 25% of all auto thefts, 40% of robberies and assaults, and 50% of burglaries and larcenies. Prohibition puts Floridian’s property at risk and nearly one half of all police resources are devoted to stopping drug trafficking, instead of preventing violent crime.
The bottom line? By ending drug prohibition Libertarians would double the resources available for crime prevention, and significantly reduce the number of violent
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