Pro-Cannabis Campaigners Turn to Baby Boomers in Florida

The US state of Florida could become the latest place in America to allow marijuana to go on sale. The Florida Supreme Court this week decided to allow a medical pot proposal to be put before voters in November.

Published

6 months ago

Categories

Health, US

Topics

Health, United States, Alternative Medicine

People

Barack Obama, Rick Scott, Andrew Cuomo, Pam Bondi, Cathy Jordan, Robert Jordan

Places

United States of America, Florida

Transcript

SCRIPT: Cathy Jordan smokes marijuana every day. Her husband Robert usually rolls joints for his wife to smoke with her morning coffee. SOUNDBITE 1 Robert Jordan (man), husband of marijuana user (English, 3 seconds): "When she has it she’s better. When she doesn’t have it she’s sick." The 64-year-old has "Lou Gehrig's Disease," which attacks nerve cells, making it difficult to move or speak. SOUNDBITE 2 Robert Jordan (man), husband of marijuana user (English, 11 seconds): "We get some cannabis // and then the drooling stops and the twitching stops and maybe she’ll sit up and then she’ll start eating again // It’s a lifesaver. It’s literally a lifesaver." Cathy Jordan campaigns for legalized medical marijuana in Florida. She’s also one of a growing number of baby-boomers using cannabis. SOUND UP Several groups have been gathering signatures to get a proposed constitutional amendment decriminalizing pot on the ballot in Florida in November elections. They're now trying to drum up ‘yes’ votes - many of which they think will come from seniors, who make up eighteen percent of the state’s population. SOUNDBITE 3 Jodi James (woman), Executive Director, Florida Cannabis Action Network (English, 3 seconds): "For that aging population, they’re trying to find things to help them be well." The National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows marijuana use among baby-boomers aged between 60 and 64 rose from two percent in 2007, to four-and-a-half percent in 2012. But anti-drug organizations say seniors are being misled about the health benefits of marijuana. SOUNDBITE 4 Calvina Fay (woman), Executive Director, Drug Free America Foundation (English, 15 seconds): "Smoking a crude, toxic weed is not real medicine. It’s not a safe delivery system and it’s not purified product. It’s many many many compounds combined, many of which are very harmful." The Pew Research Center says nearly 80 percent of boomers believe pot has legitimate medical uses. And a poll this month shows more than 60 percent of Floridians support legalization moves. Voters will decide in November if Florida will join 20 other states in allowing medical marijuana. SHOTLIST: PARRISH, Florida. January 21, 2014 SOURCE: AFPTV -WIDE Cathy and Robert Jordan in kitchen -CU Cathy Jordan taking drag on marijuana joint -CU Robert Jordan joint rolling -SOUNDBITE 1 -WIDE Cathy watching Robert grind cannabis -CU Cathy's face -Pan from cannabis tray to Cathy in wheelchair -SOUNDBITE 2 MELBOURNE, Florida. January 20, 2014 SOURCE: AFPTV -WIDE pro-marijuana campaigner on phone -VAR of campaign organizers stacking and counting campaign literature -WIDE of pro-marijuana baby-boomer at computer SOUNDBITE 3 DENVER, Colorado. February 3, 2013 SOURCE: AFPTV -VAR cannabis plants SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida. January 21, 2014 SOURCE: AFPTV -Pan from Drug Free America Foundation booklet to Calvina Fay -CU of paper and highlighter -SOUNDBITE 4 -WIDE of Cathy and Robert Jordan in kitchen -Tilt from Roberts face to marijuana joint -Pan from marijuana posters to campaigners in office -VAR pro-marijuana campaign signs /// ------------------------------------------------ AFP TEXT STORY FROM 27 JANUARY, 2014 Florida court clears 'medical marijuana' ballot measure / Miami (United States) - 27 January 2014 18:58 - AFP Florida could become the latest US state to relax its laws on marijuana use after a court ruled Monday that a proposal to legalize medicinal pot could be put before voters later this year. Advocates seeking to legalize pot for medicinal purposes in Florida said they exceeded the 683,149 signatures needed to put the measure on a November ballot by almost 40,000. And in a 4-3 ruling from the state Supreme Court, the legality and the wording of the measure, which was challenged by state officials, was given a green light. "Voters are given fair notice as to the chief purpose and scope of the proposed amendment, which is to allow a restricted use of marijuana for certain debilitating medical conditions," the ruling said. For Ben Pollara, campaign manager of People United for Medical Marijuana said the move "is a historic moment for the people of Florida -- and in particular, those suffering from debilitating conditions and illnesses." "Now the work of educating voters and combating false information truly begins," said Pollara, who added that a total of 722,416 signatures were collected across the state ahead of Friday's deadline. Republican Governor Rick Scott and conservative politicians in the state have vowed to fight the issue. Voters will have the chance to weigh in on it in the November 4 election. State Attorney General Pam Bondi, who opposed the measure, has not yet reacted to the court's decision. The issue of recreational and medical cannabis use is controversial in the United States, where opponents fear crime connected to drug abuse and addiction. Some argue pot use could lead to dependence on harder drugs. US public opinion on the matter has been changing quickly, however. President Barack Obama in an interview published last week said he believes that smoking pot is no more dangerous than drinking, although he still considers it a "bad idea." Earlier this month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he will authorize the medical use of marijuana, making his one of nearly two dozen US states to do so. California in 1996 became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. Meanwhile, Colorado has gone one big step further, allowing adults in the state beginning this month to buy small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. The state of Washington took a similar measure, set to take effect in the coming months. According to an October 2013 Gallup poll, 58 percent of Americans favor legalizing marijuana.